Washington Post: Trump is a ‘unique and present danger’

by Nikita Vladimirov - 07/22/16 5:06 PM ET

The Washington Post on Friday wrote that it will not endorse Donald Trump for president, abandoning its traditional approach of waiting until later in the contest to weigh in on candidates.

The editorial board outlined the reasons why a Trump presidency would be “a unique and present danger” to the world.

{mosads}”The real estate tycoon is uniquely unqualified to serve as president, in experience and temperament,” the board wrote.

“He is mounting a campaign of snarl and sneer, not substance. To the extent he has views, they are wrong in their diagnosis of America’s problems and dangerous in their proposed solutions. Mr. Trump’s politics of denigration and division could strain the bonds that have held a diverse nation together. His contempt for constitutional norms might reveal the nation’s two-century-old experiment in checks and balances to be more fragile than we knew.

“This year we will follow the campaign as always, offering honest views on all the candidates. But we cannot salute the Republican nominee or pretend that we might endorse him this fall. A Trump presidency would be dangerous for the nation and the world.”

In justifying its decision, the Post listed Trump’s lack of political experience, his shifts on core social issues and his position on foreign policy as evidence that he is unqualified to become the next president.

The newspaper also added that it will continue to be tough on other candidates who are running for office, despite its position on Trump. Its condemnation of the GOP nominee did not serve as an endorsement of Democrat Hillary Clinton.

“We have criticized the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, in the past and will do so again when warranted. But we do not believe that she (or the Libertarian and Green party candidates, for that matter) represents a threat to the Constitution. Mr. Trump is a unique and present danger,” the editorial concluded.

In 2008 and 2012, the Post endorsed Barack Obama.

Tags Barack Obama Donald Trump Hillary Clinton media The Washington Post