New York Times editorial board calls Donald Trump 'unfit to lead,' urges voters to reject reelection bid
WASHINGTON - The New York Times' editorial board called on voters to reject Donald Trump's reelection bid, alleging that the former president is "unfit to lead" a second term.
“Mr. Trump has shown a character unworthy of the responsibilities of the presidency. He has demonstrated an utter lack of respect for the Constitution, the rule of law and the American people,” wrote the Times editorial board, made up of opinion journalists, in a piece published Thursday.
“Instead of a cogent vision for the country’s future, Mr. Trump is animated by a thirst for political power: to use the levers of government to advance his interests, satisfy his impulses and exact retribution against those who he thinks have wronged him,” they added.
In the piece, the editorial board outlined five “essential” qualities and values that they feel a president must have - and that they say Trump fails on: moral fitness, principled leadership, character, a president’s words and rule of law.
“We urge voters to see the dangers of a second Trump term clearly and to reject it,” they wrote.
Last month, the New York Times editorial board published a piece calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race following a disastrous debate performance. The president struggled to complete sentences during the showdown and articulate his pitch to voters.
The Times argued in its op-ed piece at the time that "the president is engaged in a reckless gamble," adding that "it's too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Biden's age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes."
Since the debate, a growing handful of Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to pass the torch and exit the 2024 race for the White House.
Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Mich., on Thursday became the 10th House member to publicly call for Biden to leave the presidential race, adding to the drip of lawmakers pushing for change.
Contributing: Riley Beggin, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York Times editorial board calls Donald Trump 'unfit to lead'
