The USA Today has taken a position in a US presidential election for the first time in the newspaper’s 34-year history, vehemently opposing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s candidacy. In an editorial published on Thursday, USA Today editors called Trump “erratic,” “ill-equipped” to be commander in chief and a “serial liar.”  “This year, the choice isn’t between two capable major party nominees who happen to have significant ideological differences,” reads the editorial. “This year, one of the candidates — Republican nominee Donald Trump — is, by unanimous consensus of the Editorial Board, unfit for the presidency,” it states.

USA Today editors wrote that the New York billionaire “has demonstrated repeatedly that he lacks the temperament, knowledge, steadiness and honesty that America needs from its presidents.” “Whether through indifference or ignorance, Trump has betrayed fundamental commitments made by all presidents since the end of World War II. These commitments include unwavering support for NATO allies, steadfast opposition to Russian aggression, and the absolute certainty that the United States will make good on its debts,” they wrote.

“He has expressed troubling admiration for authoritarian leaders and scant regard for constitutional protections,” they added. Trump’s campaign has been marred by his disparaging remarks against minorities in the US. His comments include a call to ban all Muslims from coming to America as well as forced deportation of Mexican migrants by building a long wall along the US-Mexico border.

He has also sought for a database to track Muslims across the United States and said that the US would have “absolutely no choice” but to close down mosques. Trump’s proposal has been condemned by Muslim and human rights groups as well as his Democratic rivals and many of his Republican proponents who describe the proposal as divisive, counterproductive and contrary to American values.

This is while an American professor, who has correctly predicted all the last eight presidential elections, says Trump will win the race for the White House. Allan Lichtman, a distinguished professor of history at American University, told The Washington Post that based on a system he calls “the Keys to the White House”, Trump will emerge victorious in the November election. “Based on the 13 keys, it would predict a Donald Trump victory,” he claimed.

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