Dayton takes aim at Trump in speech to nonprofits
DFL Gov. Mark Dayton offered a blistering critique of President Donald Trump Friday, calling him a “bad” and “dangerous” leader who is unleashing and encouraging “vicious and destructive forces” in society.
Dayton made the notably harsh comments during a brief speech at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Annual Conference and 30
th
anniversary in St. Paul, where he praised participants for their work and their causes.
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But Dayton told the representatives of various nonprofit organizations that they are working at a “grim and gruesome” time in America. He blamed Trump and his administration.
“The face of our country’s federal government is grotesque,” Dayton said. “The damage they’re doing to so many people – from destroying families through deportations, encouraging discrimination against transgender youth, to taking affordable health care away from the indigent and the elderly – is already severe and is becoming worse with every 3 a.m. tweet.”
More alarming than Trump himself, Dayton said, is the “ominous reality” that a third of Americans approve of Trump’s policies. He said those policies are turning the country to its “dark side.” Dayton encouraged audience members to “light candles” rather than “curse the darkness” by recommitting themselves to their causes.
“We’ve survived bad presidents and their administrations before, although this one is especially dangerous,” he said.
Dayton also leveled criticism at Republicans in Congress and the Minnesota Legislature. He accused them of being “hell bent on cutting services and assistance to people in need” in order to finance tax breaks for those who are well off.
After the speech, Dayton was taking aim again at Trump.
Asked about the president’s decision to halt federal subsidy payments to health insurance companies, Dayton said it was a “destructive” and “cruel-hearted” action.
“Every morning I wake up and see what he’s done at 3 a.m. that’s going to make people’s lives more miserable,” Dayton said.