Actress and environmental activist Jane Fonda once again addressed an overseas audience, warning Democratic voters abroad that former President Donald Trump will ‘jail’ anyone who protests his policies if he’s re-elected.
‘If you are young out there abroad, you’re going to want to vote so that you have a livable future. And you’re going to want to vote so that you have a voice in a democracy. Now, with a Harris ticket, you will have a voice, if you want something to happen, or you want something to not happen, you can lobby. You can protest, demonstrate, you can do all kinds of things,’ Fonda said during a Democrats Abroad campaign event for the Harris-Walz ticket Thursday afternoon.
‘The Orange Man will not let that happen. He puts the people who don’t agree with him in jail, and he said he’s going to make their lives miserable,’ Fonda continued before a moderator for the campaign event interjected that their next speaker, Sen. Ed Markey, was set to address the virtual event.
Democrats Abroad is the official arm of the Democratic Party for American citizens living overseas, including registering them to vote and keeping them apprised of key policy issues during election cycles. About three million U.S. citizens live abroad and vote overseas, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
The group held an hours-long campaign event Thursday afternoon on Zoom, where a bevy of elected Democratic officials and Hollywood elites spoke to those living overseas about why they are supporting the Harris-Walz ticket.
Hollywood stars such as Kyra Sedgewick, Rob Reiner, Alfre Woodard and Fonda, as well as elected officials including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, former Attorney General Eric Holder and Rep. Adam Schiff, delivered short remarks to those watching, encouraging them to snub Trump at the ballot box.
‘One of the main reasons … this particular election in this coming November is so utterly critical, is because one of the two top tickets – and I don’t think I need to mention the names – will take us in the absolutely wrong direction. I’m going to say the Orange Man. Okay, the Orange Man has let us know in no uncertain terms that on day one, if he is elected, it’s going to be ‘Drill, baby, drill.’ And as I said, the world cannot afford another four years of not paying attention to the climate crisis. It’s going to be too late to solve this existential crisis. We need a strong democracy. And the Orange Man has also let us know that he’s not crazy about democracy,’ Fonda continued in her remarks.
Pelosi also slammed Trump, while opting to call the 45th president ‘what’s his name’ and arguing that ‘our democracy is at stake’ this election cycle. She added that she’s grateful to God that she was serving as speaker of the House on Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters of Trump’s breached the U.S. Capitol, instead of a Republican House leader.
‘I want to say this immodestly, but I was very glad that God placed me to be the speaker on January 6 of last time. Because if it had been a Republican speaker, the whole story would be different now. So, Hakeem Jeffries must be the Speaker of the House on January 6. That’s a must. It’s up to you. No burden, just up to you,’ Pelosi said.
The former attorney general under the Obama administration, Eric Holder, also addressed those watching, arguing that Trump’s political statements and policies during the 2024 campaign cycle have been ‘chilling.’
‘They’ve grown comfortable with everything from gerrymandering to voter suppression to outright intimidation. And this is profoundly, you know, un American. I mean, earlier this summer, Donald Trump asked a part of his MAGA base, talking to some Maga supporters, he told them that you just have to vote just this time. Vote just this time. And then he said you won’t have to do it anymore. That’s a pretty chilling thing,’ Holder said.
Holder joined the Harris campaign earlier this year to lead the vetting process of her potential running mates before Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was announced as the candidate last month.
September is a key month for American voters abroad, with federal law requiring absentee ballots to be sent to members of the military and voters overseas 45 days before the election. The ballots will be sent out by Sept. 21 during this election cycle.