Donald Trump’s biggest con is still going on

| 8:00 pm EDT August 30, 2023
Dear Palmer Report readers, we all understand the difficult era we're heading into. Major media outlets are caving to Trump already. Even the internet itself and publishing platforms may be at risk. But Palmer Report is nonetheless going to lead the fight. We're funding our 2025 operating expenses now, so we can keep publishing no matter what happens. I'm asking you to contribute if you can, because the stakes are just so high. You can donate here.

I remember once shortly after I started writing for Palmer Report, I wrote about the stark beauty of film noir. House of Games is my favorite noir. Beloved film critic Roger Ebert once described this film as being “awake” and it’s true, not just for House of Games but for many of these films. It’s the way they’re filmed — their desolate beauty captures many eyes. Film noir is all about the art of the con and the marks. But what about the human con artist? Through the years there have been many of them, and Donald Trump is one such person. Con after con. Mark After mark. Donald Trump has made cheating people his way of life.

From the guileless students he ripped off who attended Trump University, to the contractors he stiffed, Trump‘s life has been a long, very exhausting con. But there is one con Trump has attempted that worked and it’s not over yet. Election interference! These words did not come from Trump. They came from Ohio senator JD Vance. Actually they come for many Republican dupes who have fallen for the silken art of the con — Trump’s con.

In the wake of four indictments in four different jurisdictions, the GOP are still standing by their man. Lots of people are expressing shock. They are incredulous that the GOP has yet to abandon him. I’m not surprised.

For one thing the Republican Party does not have an alternate candidate. If they chose to leave Trump, who on earth would they put up? Ron DeSantis? His approval ratings fall more daily. There is no way, Ron DeSantis will win over America, and I do think Republicans are beginning to realize that. Can they get behind Chris Christie? Never.

Chris Christie is not strong enough on the abortion issue, and with all the insults he has leveled against Trump, the Republicans would face the wrath of Maga, whom they need to propel them to victory.

But what the Republicans don’t seem to understand, is that their lives are on parallel to crash with Donald Trump’s trials. Imagine the trial before Chutkan. Trump has been found guilty. The verdict? Ten years in prison. And he is the GOP nominee.

Has the Republican Party thought about what they’re going to say when hundreds of gleaming-eyed reporters ask: do you stand behind your nominee? What on earth can they do? The bottom line is the Republican party might be Donald Trump’s biggest mark of all. Because this con is still going on.

Of course the Republicans have shown themselves to be willing marks. They went into this with their eyes open. One only has to remember what Lindsey Graham said to know that. I imagine someone is writing the script of all of this. It might be a film, a moody film that I feel should be in black-and-white, but this writer will have to wait. Wait to see how it all ends. I don’t get a good sense that it will be a happy ending for Republicans.

Dear Palmer Report readers, we all understand the difficult era we're heading into. Major media outlets are caving to Trump already. Even the internet itself and publishing platforms may be at risk. But Palmer Report is nonetheless going to lead the fight. We're funding our 2025 operating expenses now, so we can keep publishing no matter what happens. I'm asking you to contribute if you can, because the stakes are just so high. You can donate here.