The confrontation between Democrats and Republicans in the US could spiral into a full-blown civil war, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said.
Speaking to RT and TASS news agency on Saturday, Medvedev said there is “a colossal rift between the elites” in the US. “It’s a clash between the conservative Republican establishment and the liberal segment, represented by the Democratic Party, which has actually torn America apart.”
“America is currently in a state of internal strife. America is conflicting with itself,” Medvedev, who is currently the deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, argued. “Moreover, in my view, this strife is irreconcilable in some aspects. Such domestic conflicts often end with a civil war.”
“I don’t know what will happen in the US, but the level of conflict right now is [high],” he said.
Medvedev noted the ongoing criminal prosecution of ex-President Donald Trump, who is seeking the Republican Party nomination to run against the incumbent, Joe Biden, in the 2024 presidential election. Medvedev claimed that the charges against Trump have been brought “not for the sake of justice, but to prevent Trump from participating in the new election.”
Asked whether there are similarities between the administration of Barack Obama and the Biden White House in terms of dealing with conflicts, Medvedev said there was more “pragmatism” during the Obama years. He added that Biden has been more “involved mentally, politically and economically” in Ukraine, which has “tied his hands.”
Biden’s resolve to support Kiev against Russia has made him “a hostage of Ukraine, which is very sad for both Ukraine and the US,” Medvedev said.
Trump is facing a litany of criminal charges, including for allegedly mishandling classified documents and attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. On Saturday, he was booked at a Georgia jail and released on bail, becoming the first US president to have a mugshot taken.
Trump insists that all allegations against him are a politically motivated “witch hunt.”