Former FBI Director James Comey is attributing the decline of trust in American institutions to what he believes is former President Donald Trump’s lack of honesty.
“A large part of the drop in trust in our institutions, and in our civil society, has been the product of relentless lying by a demagogue president,” Comey said during an interview with ABC 7.30
He added, “It’s a depressing thing to admit but lying works when it comes from the top office in the land, and then it’s echoed in media and by other enablers in and outside of government.”
Comey suggested it is “normally a healthy thing” for individuals to believe what a leader says in a democracy.
He proceeded to call it “unhealthy” when the leader is a “sociopath.”
“That shapes, unfortunately, millions of people in a harmful way,” Comey continued.
He said if President Joe Biden picks “great leaders, people who will radiate the values of the institution” it could re-establish trust.
“Donald Trump wasn’t in office long enough to change the culture of the FBI and the culture of the Justice Department. And so all the new leadership needs to do is let people be what’s already written on their hearts,” Comey said.
He went on, “The harder thing will be to regain the trust of those who have been lied to for so long about the institution. That will come over time with doing the work and showing it — triumphs and failures — to the American people in detail.”
Comey argued Biden’s inauguration speech to Americans offered them “a vision of competent, honest, empathetic leadership.”
He claimed it is going to help Americans “navigate their way out of the fog.”
Comey discussed the future of the Republican Party and what needs to happen for it to survive.
He argued it “has to be burned to the ground” and “rebuilt in some way.”
During an appearance on the “Today” show earlier this month, Comey weighed in on Trump’s role in the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, as IJR reported.
“The president needs to be sanctioned for his behavior and held accountable,” Comey said. “I think it is important that he be impeached.”
However, Comey said at the time he still thinks “it would be better for this country if we move past a fallen and corrupt president.”