Former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump a "wannabe strongman" who aims to annihilate his political rivals. 

Clinton was a guest on a podcast hosted by Democrat activist Mark Elias, during which she highlighted the dangers Donald Trump would embody as president, and drew comparisons between the former president, who defeated her in 2016, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

“Putin does what [Trump] would like to do – kill his opposition, imprison his opposition, drive journalists and others into exile, rule without any check or balance,” she said. “That’s what Trump really wants.”

Her remark sparked irony as the Clintons have been both accused of eliminating their political opponents in the past. In the late 1980s, investigative journalist Danny Casolaro created the term "Clinton Body Count" amid conspiracy theories surrounding the mysterious murders of people linked to the Clintons. Casolaro would later be found dead with slashed wrists in 1991 in his hotel room. His death was ruled a suicide. 

Trump 'similar to a dictator'

Clinton has consistently tried to establish links between Trump and Russia, making it the focal point of her presidential campaign in 2016. Consequently, the public questioned the integrity of the elections at the time in the now-discredited Steele dossier. She also said Trump's other "role models" were "strongman leaders" Chinese President Xi Jinping and DPRK Leader Kim Jong Un.

She also told Elias that similar to a dictator, Trump would start arbitrarily firing people if he was elected. “It’s really important to think about what could happen to our world with Trump back in the White House – withdrawing us from NATO, not caring about what happens in Europe... the idea that he wants Ukraine to fail, the idea that he doesn’t want us to be able to surveil our enemies. I mean, this is a very scary prospect.”

However, she declared support for Joe Biden and anticipated his win as Democrats take over the votes in key states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Arizona.

Read more: Journalists debunk claim that Putin favored Trump over Clinton in 2016

Between Biden and Trump, the US is doomed 

In an interview aired last week on the main US Spanish-language TV network Univision, US President Joe Biden labeled Republican opponent Donald Trump as the main threat to American freedom and democracy.

"Donald Trump. Seriously," Biden said as he answered a question on his rival, whom he called the "primary threat to freedom and democracy at home."

In a contrasting viewpoint, Donald Trump previously warned that the United States would face dire consequences if he did not win in November, describing it as a potential "bloodbath".

“Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s gonna be a bloodbath. That’s going to be the least of it,” Trump said during a rally near Dayton, Ohio, adding “It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.”

Although the former president's exact intentions were unclear, his remarks were made in the context of his dissatisfaction with the automobile industry. He then reassured the crowd that, if reelected, he would "prevent China from selling any vehicles imported into the US."

Trump consistently portrays a "bleak image" of the nation as he presents his argument against Biden in anticipation of November's presidential rematch. He frequently employs escalating rhetoric, particularly when discussing the felony charges he faces and his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election leading up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Read more: Russia sanctions Biden, Blinken, Psaki, Clinton, others