Trump is America’s No. 1 National Security Threat and How the US elite might act

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Last November, I tweeted that despite Biden’s win, no one should discount the Trump that readily.

First, Biden’s win margin that is seven million, is not a comfortable one. Trump still managed to get 70 million popular votes, despite his loss in the electoral college. That massive voter support is not to sneeze at. The fact that Trump got support from big blue states, and in most instances, even got him in a toe-to-toe fight with Biden, is worrisome. This validates a large segment of the American population that are sympathetic or feels affinity with the concocted causes of Trump.

Second, Trump did not actually invent these things that he says in public. Trump’s pronouncements are mostly propaganda oriented and resonate strongly with the American public because they validate what Americans think about their social, economic and political situation for quite some time. There are now two distinct images about America: the America that elites create to protect themselves from the angry and largely deprived Americans and the America as experienced by minority groups and some largely paupered White families. Trump managed to own this alternative image of America and he used this to propel his political career and eventually, his ascend to the Presidency.

Lastly, those who ran amuck in the Capitol, most of them are organized folk, not entirely a mob. Biden and most in America describes what happened in Capitol Hill as an “insurrection” or a “coup.” If this is an insurrection, then, there must be some semblance of organization, and video clips point to this.

There were personalities who egged the crowd to go to Capitol Hill. Trump, his son and his lawyer Guialini were complicit in their speeches at the White House prior to the march towards Capitol Hill. Whether or not Trump directly ordered the audience  to march towards anarchy is irrelevant. Clearly, there were direct suggestions of such a march that eventually led to violence. Trump is clearly responsible.

That explains why Trump’s speech is peppered with sentences that implicitly point to this act as an incomplete one. That there is a plan to do acts that is consistent with Trump’s promise to “make America great again.” Meaning, this incident that happened at Capitol Hill is probably the spark that is expected to light other acts of destabilization during Biden’s term.

Why is Trump doing what he’s doing? One simple answer: self-preservation. Trump knew what problems he created during his first term, and some of them probably violated the law. Second, Trump knows that after he steps down from the White House, he would automatically become a pariah. He would never ever step in to any gala or event in the halls of power.

Knowing the troubles he would surely get after he steps down, Trump wants to amass more aces to his sleeves so that when he sits before Biden’s group in the negotiation tables, he would have more to bargain for. Do not underestimate Trump. He is only interested in his survival and for him to escape prosecution or serious backlash from his enemies, Trump needs to sustain his political relevance. That Capitol Hill incident surely got him what he wanted.

What is clear though, that after he steps down and until he lives, Trump becomes the number one threat of America’s elites. That Capitol Hill, while it became bloody, gave more power to Trump.

Here’s the thing— the reason why America’s elites are now edging for Trump’s administration allies to invoke the possible declaration of Trump as unable to dispense his office, or for Democrats to file for impeachment–they want to shame him and defang him this early. Trump, for all intents and purposes, gained more political points from this violence that happened. He needs this to become relevant so that after three years, Trump would be able to correct his monumental mistakes in his 2020 presidential campaign and eventually spring a political comeback come 2025.

This is entirely possible, a Trump comeback, not if the Democrats do something about it. They can prop Harris to presidential spotlight without affecting Biden or they can develop one from their ranks. They have three years to do this. Failure means a Trump resurrection.


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Richard EM Riverahttp://www.currentph.com
Richard E. M. Rivera is a scholar-practitioner specializing in international relations, governance, and strategic communication. He is completing his degree in International Studies at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, and holds a post-graduate diploma in General Management from the Asian Institute of Management. He currently serves as Managing Partner and Senior Advisor at Rebel Manila Marketing Services, a public relations agency focused on crisis management, reputation strategy, and government relations. Previously, he was Vice President at FleishmanHillard, advising global and regional clients on strategic communication and issues management. A Certified Public Relations Crisis Advisor and Certified Paralegal, Mr. Rivera also co-convenes Artikulo Onse, a broad civic coalition advocating transparency, accountability, and the constitutional principle that public office is a public trust.

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