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Posted: 2023-12-06T07:49:44Z | Updated: 2023-12-06T15:05:09Z

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Tuesday envisioned a very bad situation if Donald Trump wins the 2024 election.

I wont say as far as dystopian, but you would see so much of what weve come to know and experience, so much of the global order, the rules, the regulations and norms that have made us all prosperous and allow us to advance and grow over the decades to really slowly erode and collapse, Esper, who Trump axed after the 2020 election, told MSNBC s Katy Tur.

Trumps former Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Donald Trump: He wanted to deploy active-duty troops on the street of Washington, D.C. and suggested actually that we shoot Americans in the street. That's kind of more of what you'll see. pic.twitter.com/OdKVTAnL72

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Trumps former Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Donald Trump: He wanted to deploy active-duty troops on the street of Washington, D.C. and suggested actually that we shoot Americans in the street. That's kind of more of what you'll see. pic.twitter.com/OdKVTAnL72

Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) December 5, 2023

Esper predicted Trump would stock his government with loyalists. The litmus test going forward would be loyalty first, and competence will be somewhere way down the list, he said in a video shared online by Mediaite .

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And thats troubling.

The former cabinet member suggested Trump, during his first term, learned how to manipulate the levers of power and, therefore, have four years to go at it and really chip away at the institutions of government and at our norms.

He warned, Hell be able to enact his policy of revenge that hes been talking about and retribution. And look, its quite a dangerous time for our democracy if that were to happen.

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Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

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