Former president Donald Trump has declined to rule out abusing power if he were to return to the White House, in response to growing Democratic criticism of his rhetoric. The Republican frontrunner made the comments during a town hall event in Iowa with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Trump has previously talked about targeting his rivals and referred to them as "vermin," vowing to seek retribution if he wins a second term. President Joe Biden has been increasingly vocal about the risks Trump poses to American democracy, accusing him of being determined to destroy democratic institutions.

Speaking to campaign donors in Boston, Biden expressed concern about the state of democracy in 2024. He stated that he wasn't sure if he would be running for reelection if Trump wasn't in the race. Biden warned that democracy is more at risk in 2024, claiming that Trump and his allies are out to destroy democratic institutions. The president attended a series of fundraisers where he cautioned against the dangers of Trump regaining control of the White House. He emphasized that Trump has described himself as seeking retribution and has vowed to root out “vermin” in the country. Biden stated, "We've got to get it done, not because of me... If Trump wasn't running, I'm not sure I'd be running. We cannot let him win."

When asked to elaborate, Biden clarified that even if Trump wasn't running, he expected to still be in the race. However, the former president's presence compelled him to run. Biden also affirmed that he would remain in the race even if Trump dropped out at this stage. Trump, who is currently the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, labeled Biden the "destroyer of American democracy" in response to these comments.

During the town hall event, Hannity asked Trump if he would promise not to abuse the power of the presidency as retribution against anybody. Trump replied that he would not be a dictator "except for day one." He expressed his intention to close the border and expand drilling, but stated that he wouldn't be a dictator beyond that point. The Biden campaign quickly seized on these comments, sending an email with the subject line, "Donald Trump: Day One Dictator."

Biden's warnings about the risks of a second Trump presidency have become a crucial part of his pitch to donors. He stresses that democracy is at stake and must be protected by defeating Trump. Meanwhile, Trump has attempted to shift the focus onto Biden, claiming that the criminal indictments against him show the president misusing the federal justice system to harm his political rival. Trump has also promised to prosecute Biden if he regains the White House in the next election.