The writer Salman Rushdie (76) has expressed fears that Donald Trump's second term as US President could be worse than his first. During a round of discussions in London, to which he was connected online, he was asked what impact he thought Trump's re-election would have. Rushdie then asked, somewhat amused, how much time they had.

"I think the impact would be very large and very negative," Rushdie said. But he is optimistic and believes that Trump will not win. However, he also believed that when Trump ran against Hillary Clinton. He was wrong back then, so you shouldn't trust him.

"I think he would be worse the second time because then he would be unleashed and vengeful," Rushdie said. "All he talks about is revenge." This is a bad political program and not what one would expect from the person in the White House.

Rushdie: America had to learn the hard way

In New York, people knew about him long before Trump ran. “Everyone knew he was an idiot and a liar,” Rushdie said. Unfortunately, America had to learn the hard way. "I just hope they don't fall for it again." Rushdie called on young people to vote in the US presidential election in November. You shouldn't make the mistake of not voting. "Because otherwise you'll regret it for the next four years."

At the conversation in London's Southbank Center, Rushdie presented his new book "Knife", in which he deals with an attack on him and its consequences. A man critically injured the author at an event in the USA in 2022.