Former President Donald Trump’s legal challenges have, perhaps unsurprisingly, not led to his downfall. Instead, he’s seemingly turned them into an advantage.
A Large Poll Lead
Despite being indicted four times, former President Donald Trump has managed to maintain impressive poll numbers. He’s consistently led his competitors by nearly 40% on average and his hardcore supporters seem to get more passionate every day. During a recent debate, six out of his eight Republican opponents said they’d support him as the nominee regardless of potential convictions in the ongoing cases.
Trump Embraced the Legal Challenges
Trump has embraced his legal challenges, asserting his innocence and portraying the charges as part of a larger conspiracy against him – a tactic well suited to his untrusting fanbase. This calculated approach, using the situation for political gain, follows a historical pattern.
Trump, Hitler, and Nazis
Many parallels were drawn between the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection and Adolf Hitler’s failed 1923 coup, known as the Munich Beer Hall Putsch. Though the circumstances differed, Hitler’s trial thereafter demonstrated the potential power of exploiting court cases for political advantage. The trial after the putsch allowed him to propagate Nazi ideals, capturing national attention. The historical precedent highlighted democracy’s vulnerability when charismatic autocrats exploit legal proceedings.
A Terrifying Comparison
Thomas Weber, a University of Aberdeen professor with expertise in Hitler and Nazi Germany, highlighted the strategic similarities between Hitler’s trial and Trump’s response to his legal challenges. Both leveraged the courtroom as a platform to galvanize support, sidelining rivals. Hitler initially aimed to implicate others but later used the trial to magnify his own role. Similarly, Trump harnessed victimization rhetoric to garner support and presented himself as a representative of the disenfranchised.
A Post-Trial Rise
Despite political and legal pressures, Trump’s rivals within the GOP hesitated to confront him, mirroring the dynamics after Hitler’s trial. Infighting within the party aided Trump’s position, resembling Hitler’s post-trial rise amid fragmented opposition.
Let’s Learn From History
Current leaders can gain insights from history when it comes to dealing with Trump’s trial. The mistake of backing Hitler by the Bavarian leaders illustrated how easy it can be to fall for the ploys of those with more charisma than altruism. The key lesson is to emphasize common mainstream values instead of ideas that create divisions.
Trump Is an Addiction
Given his legal issues, Trump is being discussed near-constantly on social media at the moment – and opinions are divided. Talking about why his fans continue to support him, one person wrote: “It’s an addiction for the Trump supporters, sort of like being addicted to heroin but can’t give the stuff up.”
Trump Supporters Won’t Back Down
Supporters of the former president claimed Trump will be found innocent. “The liberals have been attacking him for over six years and have had zero success! The people see that for what it is, a hack attack for the swamp to retain power!” one person wrote. Another individual responded: “Don’t judge the book until you’ve finished the last chapter. We haven’t yet reached that last chapter of Donald’s public life, so your claim of ‘zero success’ is premature.”
Popularity Doesn’t Equal Electability
Some commenters suggested that individuals who like Trump as a public figure don’t necessarily support him as a politician. One person wrote: “Popularity doesn’t mean electability. Some people are popular because they’re infamous and it’s easy to make fun of them. That does not mean we actually like him.”
Hypocrisy Among Trump Supporters
Others discussed the hypocrisy among Trump supporters. “These people would go ballistic if someone committed a crime against them but it’s well and good if Trump and his acolytes commit crimes against the entire nation,” one person said. “Trump’s supporters are the people who argue against prison reform because ‘you do the crime, you do the time’ but somehow Trump committing crimes is okay,” another echoed.
Trump Isn’t That Popular
Some commenters denied Trump’s popularity among the general population of the United States. “He grows more popular among the nutty Republican base, not among the general population,” one person wrote. “He’s nowhere near as popular as right-wing news sources are making him out to be,” another said.
The Hitler Parallels
Some commenters discussed the Hitler parallels. “Why aren’t more people talking about the similarities with Hitler? Trump wants to make the US a Nazi nation or something close to that. It’s terrifying, and the fact that people are still supporting him after everything is perhaps the scariest thing I’ve ever witnessed.”
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