Donald Trump proves he’ll throw any of his own people under the bus
Sociopaths have little or no conscience. They ignore societal norms that restrain questionable behavior or cause regrets afterwards. Donald Trump is a textbook case of this psychological disorder. He aggressively skirts ethical, moral and legal boundaries because in his mind the ends always, unquestionably, justify the means.
As Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues his investigation, a pattern has emerged. Trump has quickly distanced himself from anyone who gets in trouble. George Papadopoulos was dismissed as a coffee boy. Paul Manafort only worked on the Trump campaign for fleeting moment. Michael Cohen is a bit legal player with separate business interests. Roger Stone and Jared Kushner will surely get thrown under the bus once they are indicted. Just look at how Trump’s past treatment of his lawyer Roy Cohn and second wife Marla Maple,s if you hold any illusions about this not being a lifelong pattern.
Roy Cohn worked for Sen. Joe McCarthy (R-Wisc.) during his 1950s communist-baiting crusade. Afterwards Cohn became a New York City powerbroker. While Fred Trump’s money, connections and know-how are the foundation behind his son’s rise in real estate; Cohn did the critical dirty work for the younger Trump during the 1970s into the 1980s. However, when Cohn was dying of AIDS in the mid-1980s, the future “President” essentially abandoned his mentor. In fact, at Cohn’s funeral, not only did the Trump refuse to be one of the speakers, but he stood at the back of the service.
Marla Maples was Trump’s second wife. Before marrying her in 1993, Trump had Maples sign a prenup. Nothing especially surprising about that development in and of it self. However, as In Touch Weekly recounts, “When the Don broke up with Marla in 1997, he did so just weeks before the four-year anniversary that would have upped her divorce settlement. Therefore, she only got $2 million — as well as undisclosed child support payments for their daughter — when their lengthy court battle ended in 1999.” In other words, Trump bailed on his marriage before exposing himself to more potential financial liability, fought a protracted battle in court and won.
If Donald Trump can be remorseless in mistreating the lawyer who facilitated many of his early deals and the mother of his fourth child, then people like Cohen and Kushner have no chance of loyalty being extended their way when the law comes knocking.
J.H. Norton is a communications professional, life-long Democrat, and married father of two boys living in Washington, D.C.