Rachel Maddow Predicts Donald Trump Will Try to Install Family Member to Keep 'Ill-Gotten Gains'

Rachel Maddow predicted that President Donald Trump could try to place a family member in the presidency to maintain his family’s political influence.

During a Sunday, September 27, interview on "The Poynter Institute" podcast, Maddow explained her reasoning for the prediction.

"Once they’ve sort of started stealing that much money from the public trust, it becomes, typically, important for guys like that to ensure that somebody from their family assumes power after them, simply so the family can keep their ill-gotten gains, and not have them either taken or seized as part of a prosecution," she said.

Maddow pointed to the president's children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Barron Trump, and his sons-in-law while discussing the family’s political future.

She described what she saw as the businessman-turned-politician's approach to building family wealth as part of his "kleptokratic train."

"If he wants them to not end up, you know, in jail or prosecuted or having their ill-gotten gains investigated and potentially taken over, he’s gotta make sure that the next president is also a Trump," the political commentator said.

She then drew a comparison to political families in other countries.

"And so that’s why you see so many sons of dictators become dictators around the world," she said.

Maddow explained why she believed leaders who misuse their power eventually face consequences.

"If you are a corrupt leader who’s using your hold on power to basically shake down your country for hundreds of millions and/or billions of dollars, you know that the carousel stops turning at some point," the news program host said.

Maddow then described how she thought such a move from the republican could unfold.

"I think that’s something that would effectively have to be done kind of by force," she said while laughing at her own prediction.

"I don’t imagine someone willingly voting for Eric — or the other one, or the other one," she added.

Maddow also discussed the broader political climate ahead of the November elections.

Speaking with Seth Meyers on Late Night on Tuesday, September 29, the MS NOW host reflected on what typically happens during midterm election years.

"Whatever president is in the White House, there’s always a backlash against the president’s party in the midterms," she said.

She then shared how a president could approach members of their own party during that period.

"And so smart presidents, humble presidents will say to members of their own party, ‘Hey, I know you got a tough race. I know I’m not popular in your district. It’s OK if you want to diss me a little bit. It’s OK if you want to distance yourself. I know you love me. It’s fine. Do what you need to do. We need to get you reelected," she added.