The British election has consumed all of our attention at Reaction in recent months, and the launch of Reaction Students, which happens tomorrow. We’ll be back hearing more from writers in the US soon on here.
Into the maelstrom in London fly snippets of information from Washington and stories that would be jaw-dropping if they weren’t of a pattern with Donald Trump’s behaviour since childhood, a development process that seems to have got stalled around the age of 10 in his case.
The special prosecutor Robert Mueller, appointed to look at the allegations of Team Trump’s links with Russia and meddling in the election, is – it is reported by the Washington Post – now investigating Trump associates and Trump himself on potential obstruction of justice. In response, Trump tweeted today:
“You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history – led by some very bad and conflicted people!#MAGA”
Put to one side whether this trumps the anti-communist effort in the 1950s, or the Salem witch trials, that statement makes no sense in terms of his own survival. It is not what an innocent person would say, or at least not without more supporting information via a lawyer. What is wrong with him? He can’t even act in his own best interests. He gets worse rather than better at being President.
One of my Washington friends in touch with the administration tells me there is no way Trump will ever resign and the math – or maths as it should properly be – are against impeachment even it seems likely after the mid-term elections taking place in less than 18 months time.
That is probably true. Trump would have to be fired by the electorate, and even then he would blame someone else.
But I wonder. What is so impressive about the American system is its relentless emphasis on law and the logical working through of process. This Trump investigation and its increasing menace looks like what might termed the deep state – or let’s call it the non-mad parts of the Establishment - closing in. Good. Please hurry up.
