When the history of the 2024 election is written, one of the iconic images will be of Donald J. Trump staring into the camera with his signature glare, taken after one of his four indictments. There is no doubt that it will be a picture of your face. It’s an image of defiance, not shame, of a man who could be a convicted felon until Election Day and then become president of the United States again.
In the midst of the intense campaigning going into the final weeks, a simple but daunting fact is sometimes forgotten. For the first time in history, America may send a criminal to the Oval Office and entrust it with nuclear codes. What once would have been an automatic disqualification appears to have all but slowed Trump’s comeback march toward a second term, with a focus on “retribution.”
Trump has upended the traditional rules of American politics in many ways, but this may be one of the most impressive. He has weathered more scandals in the lifetime of our republic than any presidential candidate, let alone president, of any major party. Not only did we survive, we thrived. He turned them on their head and framed the allegations against him as his own by portraying himself as a serial victim rather than a serial offender.
His idea of defending persecution, that the reason he’s in so much trouble because everyone is out to get him, resonated in his rallies, making him think, “They’re going to come after me.” No, they’re chasing you, and I’m just chasing them.” It’s getting in the way. ”But this, of course, negates his 78-year record of scandals, which began long before politics. In his private and public life, he has been accused of so many wrongdoings, investigated by so many prosecutors and agencies, and sued by so many plaintiffs and claimants that he remembers them all. You need a scorecard just for that.
His business went bankrupt repeatedly, and several other businesses also failed. He was taken to court for stiffing vendors, stiffing bankers, and stiffing his own family. He avoided the draft during the Vietnam War and avoided paying income taxes for years. He was forced to pay tens of millions of dollars to students who accused him of fraud, was held responsible for a massive business fraud, and his real estate company was convicted in criminal court of tax crimes.
Please wait while we confirm your access. If you’re in reader mode, exit and log into your Times account or subscribe to all Times.
Please wait while we confirm your access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want to know all about The Times? Subscribe.
