Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is back in the spotlight with controversial remarks, suggesting the need for the “formal deprogramming” of supporters of former President Donald Trump and his MAGA political ideology. In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Clinton didn’t hold back in her criticism of Trump’s base, leading to a firestorm of reactions from conservative voices.

During the interview, Clinton questioned the motives and intelligence of Trump’s supporters, stating, “So many of those extremists, those MAGA extremists, take their marching orders from Donald Trump, who has no credibility left by any measure. He’s only in it for himself. He’s now defending himself in civil actions and criminal actions.” She continued in her characteristically condescending tone, suggesting that there might need to be “formal deprogramming” for the former President’s base, saying, “You know, because at some point, maybe there needs to be a formal deprogramming of the cult members, but something needs to happen.”

Unsurprisingly, Clinton’s comments quickly ignited a wave of criticism from conservative pundits, who viewed her words as not only leftist but also elitist, and out of touch with the everyday experiences of ordinary Americans. Fox Business host Charles Payne condemned her remarks, saying, “This is beyond arrogance; it’s scary. You know conversations and planning are happening among the ‘elite.’ This goes against the ethos of America. The Establishment is losing in the arena of ideas despite controlling all levers of influence. Are re-education camps next? This could end in bloodshed.”

Professor Wilfred O’Reilly, a prominent voice on social media, echoed similar sentiments, saying, “The idea that the people who believe that there are multiple human sexes, COVID lockdowns were a necessary good, and 10,000 unarmed Black men are killed by cops every year need to deprogram us really is ‘resist at all costs’ insane.”

Matthew Peterson, the editor-in-chief of Blaze, added his voice to the chorus of criticism, stating, “This is not America. This is Un-American. This is an utter rejection of what millions of American citizens hold dear. This is not what we believe in. These people are sick. But they are coordinating and acting in unprecedented ways every day now.”

For many conservatives, Clinton’s recent comments are reminiscent of her infamous “basket of deplorables” remark during the 2016 election, where she labeled a significant portion of Trump’s supporters as “irredeemable.” She stated, “We are living in a volatile political environment. You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic — you name it. And unfortunately, there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people — now how 11 million. He tweets and retweets their offensive hateful mean-spirited rhetoric. Now, some of those folks — they are irredeemable, but thankfully they are not America.”

These comments from Clinton have once again ignited a fierce debate over the ideological divide in America. Conservatives argue that such remarks only deepen the rift and further alienate those who hold differing viewpoints. They believe that respectful dialogue and open debate are the keys to bridging the divide, rather than divisive rhetoric and calls for “deprogramming.”

In a time when the nation is grappling with political polarization, Clinton’s words serve as a stark reminder of the challenges facing the country. As the political landscape continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether the nation can find common ground or if the divide will only grow wider.