Trump privately treating impeachment trial like season-ending reality show 'grand finale': report

The former reality TV star currently serving as president of the United States is viewing his impeachment as a television production, The Washington Postreported Saturday.

"By Friday, even as the House Judiciary Committee passed two articles of impeachment against Trump, the president had begun telling allies that maybe impeachment wasn’t so bad after all," the newspaper reported. "All week, in fact, at White House holiday parties and in phone calls with allies, Trump privately mused about trying to prolong the impeachment process because he says it helps his reelection prospects."

"Even as he faces the largest crisis of his presidency — poised to become only the third president to be impeached — Trump joined with Democrats over the past week in a frenzy of agreements and deals that amounts to a kind of counterimpeachment campaign. He and his allies trumpet the victories as the work of a disciplined president continuing to focus on the needs of the public, while Democrats argue they have forced Trump to hand over sweeping concessions on liberal priorities," The Post explained.

"The holiday legislative tableau has emboldened Trump. He has suggested that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is embarrassed by the impeachment inquiry. He has said he believes the trial in the Republican-controlled Senate — where he is expected to be acquitted of the House charges — could be beneficial to him," the newspaper noted. "And he sees impeachment as perhaps 'the best episode, the grand finale' of a reality show presidency, in the words of one longtime confidante who talked with Trump this week and who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly summarize the president’s perspective."

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was harshly criticized from the left for giving Trump a win on the trade deal with Canada and Mexico.

"The president is deeply concerned about the impact of impeachment on his legacy, but sees the blitz of policy accomplishments as a possible counter, according to one Trump adviser who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations," The Post explained.

Read the full report.