Unprecedented Trump move 'a big tell’ of underlying fear: expert

Georgetown University Professor E.J. Dionne flagged a troubling “paradox” he believed President Donald Trump had gotten himself into, one that he called a “real problem” for the president that could result in widespread “chaos.”

Dionne, also a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, spoke with adjunct professor and columnist Carlos Lozada in an episode of The New York Times’ “The Opinions” podcast published on Saturday, during which the two discussed why they believed Trump appeared “afraid.”

“He seems afraid, when he’s reduced to offering people money,” said Lozada, referencing Trump’s recent promise to Americans that he would award them with $5,000 checks should Republicans maintain their congressional majority after the midterms.

Lozada’s remarks appeared to resonate with Dionne: “you really put your finger on something important about the paradox of what Trump was doing,” Dionne said.

Dionne went on to argue that Trump’s plea to GOP voters — to “pretend” that he’s on the ballot — was a demonstration of his confidence, whereas the president’s promise to send out $5,000 checks was an indicator of his “lack of confidence” heading into the midterms.

Another tell of Trump’s fear, Dionne argued, was his aggressive push to impose restrictions on mail-in voting.

“The New York Times had a great editorial arguing that Trump was sabotaging the midterms by using the Postal Service to try to completely turn mail voting into chaos, and I think that’s the real tell,” Dionne said.

“If he were confident in these elections, I don’t think he’d think he has to do that. And the Supreme Court may, at some point — maybe when this goes on the air — have ruled on this, but boy, is that the big tell.”