Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is facing criticism from Republicans for her recent comments suggesting that supporters of former President Donald Trump should undergo “formal” deprogramming.
Clinton’s remarks, made during an interview with CNN, drew swift backlash. Tennessee GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn took to social media to express her concerns, stating, “Hillary Clinton wants Trump supporters to be formally reeducated. Does she know that this is America and not a Communist regime?”

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican, highlighted Clinton’s previous divisive comments, stating, “7 years ago, Hillary Clinton infamously labeled half of our country ‘deplorable’ and ‘irredeemable.’ Last night on CNN, she called Republicans ‘extremists,’ a ‘cult,’ and called for the ‘formal [deprogramming]’ of Republicans across our country. This is unhinged behavior.”
Former GOP congressional candidate Karoline Leavitt suggested that Trump had warned his supporters that they were the ultimate target, saying, “Trump has said countless times that they are only coming after him because he stands in their way from coming after you—and Hillary Clinton just confirmed that to be true.”
During her CNN interview, Clinton discussed the political divisions in the United States, distinguishing between the “sane” part of the GOP caucus that helped prevent a government shutdown and what she referred to as the “cult” wing devoted to Trump.
She expressed concern about the influence of “MAGA extremists” who take their cues from Trump, describing Trump as having “no credibility left by any measure” and suggesting that there might need to be a “formal deprogramming of the cult members.”
Clinton also predicted that Trump would be the Republicans’ nominee for the 2024 election, but she expressed confidence that President Biden would defeat him. She characterized Trump as an “authoritarian populist” who connects with a portion of the population on an emotional and psychological level.
While Clinton’s comments were aimed at addressing the political landscape and divisions within the Republican Party, they have triggered a fresh round of political debate and criticism.