Veteran journalist Carl Bernstein took aim at President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE late Tuesday over a report that Trump wanted the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonDemocratic groups using Bloomberg money to launch M in Spanish language ads in Florida The Hill's Campaign Report: Presidential polls tighten weeks out from Election Day More than 50 Latino faith leaders endorse Biden MORE and former FBI Director James Comey James Brien ComeyDemocrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate Book: FBI sex crimes investigator helped trigger October 2016 public probe of Clinton emails Trump jabs at FBI director over testimony on Russia, antifa MORE, calling it a "defining moment" in his presidency.

Bernstein, a frequent critic of the president, said during an interview on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" that the incident was an example of Trump's "unfitness" to be president.

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"This is a defining moment in the Trump presidency," Bernstein said. "This is a demonstration of his unfitness to be president of the United States, of his abuse of presidential power, of his embrace of authoritarian power."

"We are now watching a president of the United States undermine the very principles of our democracy," Bernstein continued. "The president takes an oath to defend the constitution of the United States, to uphold it and to protect it. This president daily abuses it, but never have we seen such flouting, such willingness to abuse the Constitution."

The New York Times reported that Trump talked to former White House counsel Don McGahn about using the DOJ to prosecute Comey and Clinton, two of his top critics. McGahn reportedly told the president that such a decision would lead to accusations of abuse of power.

McGahn left the White House in October, and was replaced by Pat Cipollone.

"Like any client, the president is entitled to confidentiality," a spokesman for McGahn told the Times. "Mr. McGahn would point out, though, that the president never, to his knowledge, ordered that anyone prosecute Hillary Clinton or James Comey."

Bernstein has argued recently that media networks should stop covering White House press briefings in full, calling the events "propagandist exercises."