Sarah K. Burris
On Monday, USA TODAY reported that although former President Donald Trump was narrowly acquitted in his impeachment trial for incitement of insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the episode will still cement him as one of America's worst presidents, according to multiple historians.
"He knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it," said Brenda Wineapple, a historian who wrote extensively on the Andrew Johnson impeachment. "Trump moved from demagoguery to tyranny." Jennifer Mercieca, author of "Demagogue for President: the Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump," agreed, saying that Trump "will be remembered as the president who prevented the peaceful transition of power."
Alvin Felzenberg, who wrote "The Leaders We Deserved (and a Few We Didn't): Rethinking the Presidential Rating Game," said that Trump's presidency "will always be remembered by how it ended" and "He's certainly in the bottom tier. Maybe at the bottom."
While the impeachment ended in acquittal, Trump set a record for the largest number of senators from his own party to vote against him, at seven. Former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum has warned that this result will guarantee him "eternal public repudation."
Nonetheless, Trump hopes to maintain his grip over the GOP, and many Republicans both in Congress and around the country remain loyal to him.
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