Defeated Donald Trump begins ranting about how much he resents the Republicans
Donald Trump has lost all hope. We know this not because his approval rating has zeroed out his political capital, and not because his list of accomplishments is zero. We know this because Trump has finally told us so. After a weeks-long stretch in which staffers were clumsily impersonating him on Twitter because he was too withdrawn to even do his own ranting, Trump retook the reins this afternoon and began resentfully admitting how screwed he is.
Trump’s first of two tweets this afternoon had at least a bit of his trademark fire remaining: “As the phony Russian Witch Hunt continues, two groups are laughing at this excuse for a lost election taking hold, Democrats and Russians!” (link). But what stands out is that he now admits his Russia scandal is taking hold. Even though he’s still pretending his treasonous plot with the Russians to rig the election never happened, he finally seems to understand that the story will define, and ultimately end, his time in office. But it was his next tweet which was frankly jaw dropping.
“It’s very sad that Republicans, even some that were carried over the line on my back, do very little to protect their President,” (link), Trump lamented in a rare moment of self awareness and near honesty. The Republicans in Congress were largely afraid to get in his way as he was seizing the party’s nomination. But now that he’s toxically unpopular and his presidency is guaranteed to end early in scandal, those same Republicans are afraid to stand with him. Their cowardice helped him before, but their cowardice is hurting him now. It’s only been six months and Trump’s party – while unwilling to toss him overboard just yet – has become just as unwilling to prop him up.
The question is what Donald Trump does now that he’s realized even the Republican Party isn’t willing to carry his water. When the Republican Congress passes the bill this week to take away his ability to ease Russian sanctions, their betrayal of him will be complete. Will he decide to go out in a blaze of glory that takes the Republicans down with him, or will he simply try to declare bankruptcy on his failed presidency and slink off? If you find Palmer Report valuable, make a donation.
