WASHINGTON — Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) used the floor of the U.S. Senate to fire directly back at President Donald Trump, comparing the commander-in-chief's words to those of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
Flake stated that Trump has used statements also used by Stalin against his enemies.
CBS News reported that Flake, in an excerpt released prior to his speech Wednesday, said, "Mr. President, it is a testament to the condition of our democracy that our own president uses words infamously spoken by Josef Stalin to describe his enemies. ... It bears noting that so fraught with malice was the phrase 'enemy of the people,' that even Nikita Khrushchev forbade its use, telling the Soviet Communist Party that the phrase had been introduced by Stalin for the purpose of 'annihilating such individuals' who disagreed with the supreme leader."
Flake said that Trump has used the term "enemy of the people" in describing the free press last year, CNBC reported.
Flake reached out via Twitter earlier this week that he was not saying that Trump was like Stalin, clarifying the intent of his speech, saying that Stalin was a maniacal killer.
There is no comparison between POTUS & Stalin. Stalin was a maniacal killer. The point I will try to make in my speech is POTUS should not use a phrase so associated with Stalin like “enemy of the people” to describe our free press. https://t.co/RglEML84vz
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) January 15, 2018
Cox Media Group
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