Trump's 'increasing distance from reality' could be behind his latest 'desperate' comments: analyst

In an attempt to try to understand exactly why Donald Trump took the radical step to suggest "terminating" the Constitution because he feels the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, CNN's Stephen Collinson suggested the former president is so deep in his desperation to remain center stage that he has lost touch with reality.

Days ago the former president took to Truth Social where he ranted, "So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great 'Founders' did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!"

That, in turn, has led to almost universal condemnation, with the CNN analyst claiming Trump's proposal is nothing less than a fantasy, but still dangerous.

According to Collinson, Trump's outburst may be the direct result of his announcement that he will run for president a third time landing with a thud among conservatives.

Suggesting that controversial comments "reflect desperation on the part of the former president to whip up controversy and fury among his core supporters in order to inject some energy into a so-far lackluster 2024 White House bid," he added, "And while it is far too early to write off his chances in the 2024 GOP nominating contest, Trump’s behavior since announcing his third presidential bid also suggests his never-ending quest to shock and to fire up his base now means going so far right he ends up on the extremist fringe and almost in self-parody."

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"Trump’s doubling down on authoritarianism also follows a moment when much of the country, at least in crucial swing states, rejected his 2020 election denialism and anti-democratic chaos candidates he picked for the midterms – with a final test on Tuesday in Georgia’s Senate runoff," the CNN political analyst wrote. "It appears to make it even more unlikely that the ex-president, even if he wins the Republican nomination, will be the kind of candidate who could win among the broader national electorate. After all, his message failed in two consecutive elections in 2020 and 2022. And even in the wilder reaches of the GOP, which Trump has dominated since 2015, a call to simply trash the Constitution might seem a stretch – and reflect the former president’s increasing distance from reality."

He then added, "But even if his idea of crushing the Constitution looks far-fetched, his behavior needs to be taken seriously because of its possible future consequences. That’s because Trump remains an extraordinarily influential force in the Republican Party. His acolytes hold outsized power in the new House majority set to take over in January, which they plan to use as a political weapon to promote his restoration in the White House."

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