MUST-WATCH: Congressman Adam Smith sounds alarm about Trump's authoritarian musings

The ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, is not at all enamored with Trump’s plans for a massive military parade through the streets of Washington. Not only does he feel it’s a massive boondoggle, but he thinks it runs counter to our democratic traditions.

.@RepAdamSmith statement on Trump request for military parade https://t.co/xdQHwHt8la #militaryparade pic.twitter.com/IR7fregvSD

— House Armed Services (@HASCDemocrats) February 7, 2018

But Smith thinks it’s part of a larger problem—Trump’s growing authoritarian tendencies. He went further in a video he posted to Twitter. Watch here.

I have disagreements w/ the President on policy. I’ve said earlier if you support his policies, I get that. But beyond all that, regardless of how you feel about policies; the constitution, the institutions that make us a free & democratic society are what we should cherish most. pic.twitter.com/i6sPL9dnXN

— Rep. Adam Smith (@RepAdamSmith) February 7, 2018

Smith recalled that a few months earlier, one of his constituents asked him if he thought Trump was a fascist. He initially said no, but recent events have led him to wonder if he is at the very least “aspiring to that level of authoritarianism.” Besides his “insulting and belittling” manner, he condemned Trump’s suggestion that failing to applaud him during the State of the Union was treasonous.  

Smith also blasted the parade, saying that it ran counter to our tradition of civilian control of the military. He also believed it amounted to a demand that the military “salute him.”

Smith sees Trump’s attacks on those investigating Russia’s hacking of the election as an attack on people who are doing their jobs out of loyalty to the law, “not to a single person.” He also blasted Trump’s attacks on the media, wondering if he wants to live in a country where the media is free to speak up. He recalled that attacking the media is usually the first step budding dictators take.

Smith makes it clear that he disagrees with Trump on virtually everything. However, he believes we should all stand up for the institutions that make us a democracy. Amen.