Trump’s Open Fronts

To speak of Donald Trump is to speak of stridency, of aspiration (in the context of capitalism), of misogyny, of business deals — many of them shady — of disrespect for order and institutions.

Donald Trump: “It is an assault on America. And that’s why I’m very proud to be here.”

To speak of Donald Trump is to speak of stridency, of aspiration (in the context of capitalism), of misogyny, of business deals — many of them shady — of disrespect for order and institutions. In his role as a politician, we could say the same, but when it happens in the public arena it has social, national and international repercussions.

There are many examples from his time in the White House: his disdain for international organizations, his abandonment of environmental agreements and his threat of the “red button.” Most disastrously was the assault on the Capitol that called into question the institutional strengths of the United States.

In this third race for the presidency, when one would think we would see a more tempered Trump, that is not the case. He makes fun of the country’s economy (despite it being Joe Biden’s greatest current strength); he angrily comments that he would already have put an end to the war in Ukraine (in favor of Russia and his “friend” Putin); he also constantly makes fun of Biden’s age (although there is only a four-year age difference); he continues his fierce attacks on migrants; and he harangues his faithful followers with the message that with him their country will be respected again.

However, with just over seven months to go until the election, what is different in this presidential race is that while Trump is rising in the polls — to the detriment of Democrat Biden (the aggregate of polls show Trump leading by 0.2% according to RealClearPolitics) — he will have to face the U.S. justice system.

First up is the criminal trial over an alleged payment to actress Stormy Daniels to buy her silence over an extramarital affair just before the 2016 election.

Meanwhile, the New York magnate has an upcoming convention in Wyoming; primaries in Puerto Rico and Pennsylvania; a presentation before the Supreme Court in Washington for a ruling on his presidential immunity; primaries in Missouri, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Virginia, Kentucky and Oregon; a presentation of his defense over the “Mar-a-Lago papers,” as well as a trial for election interference and the attempt to alter the election results; a few other conventions, and then to await the outcome of his trials. All this before Nov. 5. As was to be expected, the former president has declared himself innocent of the more than 30 charges against him*.

Thus, the most polarizing character of recent times has a strategy to deal with the parallel electoral, political and legal factors. For the latter, he has dozens of lawyers, some of whom have been with him for decades.

From a political point of view, he will stick to his 2016 strategy and continue with his extremist opinions against everything because he knows that it resonates for him. Electorally, he has a Republican Party that will do his bidding. As often happens with this kind of person, he will most likely come out ahead in court. As for the elections, the coin is still in the air. We will see if fortune smiles on him again.

*Editor’s Note: There are 34 counts being charged against Donald Trump in the hush-money case. Altogether, he is charged with 88 counts in the four cases currently being brought against him.