Republicans jump ship as Trump finds trust is in short supply
Even Trump’s sister has described her brother as holding ‘no principles’
AMID a pandemic his administration has failed to contain, widespread economic pain and racial unrest, this week, Donald Trump began the biggest pitch of his life.
After proving over the last four years, that the 2016 version of himself was a dud, he is trying to convince the American public he is a new and improved leader, ahead of November’s election.
With the Republican National Convention this week, the Trump reality TV show is back on the small screen. Only he is asking voters to park reality for a while.
Day after day the President, his family and his supporters have engaged in sweeping revisionism about his management of the United States.
Already said to have served up more than 21,000 false or misleading claims during his leadership, it seems clear Trump, and his cronies are hellbent on adding to the tally. He repeated his unfounded allegations that Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joseph Biden – his opponent in the coming election – had spied on his campaign four years ago.
“We caught them doing really bad things,” he said. “Let’s see what happens. They’re trying it again.”
Then began his lies – supported by his chief cheerleaders, his two eldest sons – about his role in building the “greatest economy in history” and creating more jobs than ever before – both actually achieved by his predecessor Obama.
“We just broke a record on jobs, an all-time record,” he said. “There’s never been three months when we’ve put more people to work. We’re just about ready to break the all-time stock market record.”
His lauding of his own abilities comes against his handling of the coronavirus which has left tens of millions unemployed with almost 180,000 people dead.
Trump is under no illusions over the challenges he faces.
Last week the Democrats spent four days declaring he lacks the competence, character and compassion necessary to defend the US in a time of crisis.
But in Trump’s mind, he is simply a victim of visible and invisible foes who are hellbent on denying him the credit he deserves and his voters the leader they want.
However, his biggest problems may actually be emerging from within his party ranks. Where once no Republican dared speak out of turn against him, already 70 former Republican national security officials – including some who worked for Trump – are actively campaigning for a Democrat to win the presidency.
In a statement they wrote: “While we, like all Americans, had hoped that Donald Trump would govern wisely, he has disappointed millions of voters who put their faith in him and has demonstrated that he is dangerously unfit to serve another term.”
On Monday more than two-dozen former Republican members of Congress, including ex-Senator Jeff Flake, endorsed Joe Biden for President. Together they form part of a growing anti-Trump conservative movement fighting for their party to lose – and hoping for a role in a post-Trump GOP.
Even Trump’s sister, Maryanne Trump Barry has described her brother as holding “no principles” who has been “lying” throughout his presidency. The former federal judge said her sibling was “full of “phoniness” adding, “you can’t trust him”.
Meanwhile, old footage has emerged, which appears to suggest even his beloved son shouldn’t trust his dad. Recalling how “Daddy” would send him to classes at the age of four with his number one rule ringing in his ears, Don Jr said his dad told him “Don’t. Trust. Anyone. Ever.”
He went on: “He’d follow it up two seconds later with, ‘So, do you trust me?’ I’d say, ‘Of course, you’re my dad.’ He’d say, ‘What did I just...’
“You know, he thought I was a total failure. He goes, ‘My son’s a loser, I guess.’”
Trump has run the Republican party like a mob boss, but unlike the Godfather, he has failed to keep his friends close and his enemies closer.
It may well prove they will be the ones to see his political career sleeping with the fishes come November.