NYT columnist claims Trump and Abbott's Texas redistricting plans are 'mustard gas on our democracy'

New York Times opinion columnist David Brooks claimed that President Donald Trump ordered Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, to rhetorically use "mustard gas" on American democracy by launching redistricting efforts.

Texas Republicans, encouraged by the Trump administration, are pursuing a congressional map aimed at adding up to five GOP-leaning districts, prompting fierce backlash and counteraction. Texas Democrats have fled the Lone Star State to Democratic-stronghold states. Their goal is to break quorum and halt the vote.

As first noticed by NewsBusters, Brooks appeared on "PBS NewsHour" on Friday, where he was asked if he believed that politics had boiled down to nothing more than an indefinite power struggle between the two parties. 

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR DEMANDS TRUMP ABANDON TEXAS REDISTRICTING PUSH, THREATENS BALLOT MEASURE RESPONSE

He told "NewsHour" co-anchor Amna Nawaz, "I understand the argument. But let's do a little ethical experiment here. You're in World War I. The Germans use mustard gas on civilians, and it helps them. Do you then decide, 'Okay, we're going to use mustard gas on civilians?'" he responded. "What Trump ordered Abbott to do in Texas is mustard gas on our democracy. Some people would feel, 'Okay, that was terrible. We have to fight that. It's horrible. It's horrible. But we're going to fight back. It's just - that's war.'"

Brooks was also critical of redistricting efforts on the other side of the political aisle, slamming California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his role in helping to "destroy our democracy."

"Gavin Newsom is leaping into this with both legs. And, to me, there's a moral stain that will accompany anybody who does this, because basically they are destroying our democracy," he said. "You don't let politicians pick voters. You let voters pick politicians."

The New York Times opinion columnist asserted that those who oppose gerrymandering are "the ones defending democracy," and warned that the opposing parties' redistricting battle is a "race to the bottom."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Newsom and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced last week that California will move forward with a plan for a special election in early November to place its own redistricting plan on a ballot measure before voters.

The Golden State governor said the move was a counterpunch to Texas and was being done in a transparent fashion, but would also likely see Democrats pick up five seats if the measure is adopted. The plan would allow Democrats to temporarily bypass the state's independent redistricting commission and adopt a new congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections.

While Brooks was critical of Newsom's decision to fight fire with fire on the redistricting front, he noted that the California governor wasn't the one who started the battle.

"I fully grant you that Trump started it. So I'm not saying it's totally morally equivalent. But there's a moral stain. And what's going to happen is, people are going to say, 'It's those politicians,'" he argued.

In closing, Brooks contended that the real losers in this scenario would be the voters and that the politicians working on redistricting are "literally disenfranchising people."

"Loss of faith in the system, loss of faith in democracy, and literally less democracy, because, if you are a Texas voter or a California voter, or if New York does it or if Missouri does it, whoever - all the states that are going to do this, you are literally disenfranchising people, because you can pick the district so carefully that the voters don't matter so much," he concluded.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Governor Abbott's office for comment. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News' Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.