Donald Trump can’t go home again
Before becoming President, Donald Trump’s primary residence was his penthouse apartment at the Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan. When his time in the White House ends, Trump will be the living embodiment of Thomas Wolf’s famous 1940 book You Can’t Go Home Again. The evidence that Trump is in for a rocky homecoming, should he avoid going to jail, is considerable.
First, there are the 2016 Presidential election results from Trump’s hometown. Only 19 percent cast votes for him in New York City, when you limit the results to Manhattan the number drops to 10 percent.
Second, Trump has assiduously avoided traveling back home, preferring to stay at his various out-of-state properties where he can golf like at Mar-a-Logo. His fragile ego doesn’t want to see a reprise of the “Not Our President” protest outside Trump Tower that occurred immediately after his election. So returning home could be a humiliating experience for Trump. Imagine him looking out his window at a sea of outstretch middle-fingers and signs and banners of vulgarity and hilarity.
Third, his name is literally being ripped off the buildings that bear his name in Manhattan. For example, Trump Soho, which is likely being investigated for money-laundering, is now called the Dominick Hotel. Facing massive financial losses, the Trump Organization ended their partnership in 2017. Or there is the recent case of a judge ruling in favor of tenants of Trump Place on the Westside of Manhattan, who can now remove his name from the façade of the building. These indignities are popping up left and right.
Fourth, there is a much more ominous possibility for Trump’s New York City-based real estate empire. United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions has revamped the civil assets forfeiture policy, which allows law enforcement to seize assets like real estate holdings suspected of being connected to criminal activity. Considering the money-laundering activities that are alleged to occur with Trump, a nightmare scenario of epic proportions could unfold. So Trump really can’t go home again. Maybe he moves to Russia and gets a fresh and fitting start.
J.H. Norton is a communications professional, life-long Democrat, and married father of two boys living in Washington, D.C.