Not only is former President Donald Trump not following the advice of many of his strategists, he is turning to fringe elements to try to bolster his own confidence in continuing an aggressive stance against the law enforcement officials involved in his indictments.
That is the argument of Washington Post reporter Jacqueline Alemany on MSNBC Thursday — and she suspects it will end poorly for him.
"It is true that Trump's base, they keep squeezing them and they keep doling out money to help him defend himself," said anchor Nicolle Wallace. "30 cents of every dollar that people donate goes to his criminal defense fund. In terms of a message that is growing the coalition, the indictments are not that. Is there any — I don't even want to ask if you there's any reflection among the Republicans. I know they don't do that. But is there any sort of secret conversation about a braking mechanism should this thing go off the rails?"
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"This is the age-old problem with Trump that we've seen time and time again," said Alemany. "At least in the last two elections when he lost against Joe Biden, in 2020 and the 2022 midterms when House Republicans were supposed to have a sweeping majority, a red wave, and it turned out to be, I don't know, insert your metaphorical—"
"A trickle?" said Wallace.
"Exactly," Alemany agreed. "But you know, the former president wants to continue to litigate the results of the 2020 election. He's using this moment in time in order to do so. One of his top aides is potentially releasing one of a report that she put together next week of alleged evidence that proves once and for all, Trump's unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was stolen, while Republicans quietly and potentially as time goes on maybe more loudly don't want trump to continue to do this. They know that this is a losing talking point. Even some of his closest advisers have recommended as such. But during these times of intense pressure, Trump is doing what we've seen him do lots of times: go to these outside advisers and seek reinforcements for some of his most toxic instincts which is doubling down on these unsubstantiated claims that might ultimately be sending some people to prison."
Watch the video below or at the link.