Trump claims enemies from within US are more dangerous than Russia China or North Korea

On October 26, 2024, with two weeks remaining before the presidential election, former President Donald Trump tells Fox News host Maria Bartiromo: "We have the outside enemy, and then we have the enemy from within. And the enemy from within, in my opinion, is more dangerous than China, Russia, and all those countries, because if you have a smart president, he can handle them." Trump names Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) as "enemies from within." NPR documents that since 2022, Trump has issued more than 100 explicit threats to investigate, prosecute, imprison, or otherwise punish perceived political opponents by name, including former Attorney General Bill Barr, military generals, and multiple journalists. Axios publishes an "enemies within" list documenting over 100 named targets. Human Rights Watch warns in a November 2024 report that a second Trump term represents a systematic threat to civil liberties. Following Trump's November 2024 election victory, his transition team confirms that figures he had named as "enemies from within" are under consideration for investigation by the incoming Justice Department under Kash Patel.