Donald Trump is preparing for his third round of indictments, and what this might mean for the 2024 presidential campaign. He also seems to be getting increasingly frustrated with those who have worked for him or those he thinks “owe” him but are not automatically behind his bid for reelection.
Axios has just published a report on the silence of Arkansas governor Sarah Sanders.
Two people who were familiar with the discussion say that Trump has been increasingly frustrated by Sanders’ campaign, which told him she would not make an announcement until after her first Arkansas legislative session.
The session that ended in May has not been endorsed.
Sanders is one of several Republicans who have national ambitions but are remaining neutral in the primary, despite the large lead the former president has in early polls. Sanders’ political calculations are complicated by her role as Trump’s White House spokesperson.
Future presidential candidates include Senators Greg Abbott (Texas), Kristi Noem, (South Dakota), and Tom Cotton (Arkansas) have all declined to endorse. They are waiting to see if GOP voters will be willing to move past Trump’s legal issues.
Trump views this as a betrayal, after he hired her as his press secretary and supported her early on in her gubernatorial campaign. Trump is not happy that she has been silent.
Consider the number of people that worked for Trump who are either now directly against him or at least quiet regarding his candidacy. He has publicly attacked politicians who endorsed him but didn’t work with him because they are not loyal. What is more frustrating for someone like Trump than when the people he hired do not return his love?
If you look at the patterns that have emerged since the Trump administration took office, it may say more about the bosses than the employees.
This is the man who put Tony Fauci up on a pedestal, possibly literally because the good doctor does not seem to be very tall. He also made him the face for the COVID-19 response of the federal government – much at the expense of Americans in the entire country. It appears that his involvement in the elections of 2022 has had a negative effect. He’s also been attacking Republicans more than Democrats in recent months. Why would they endorse him?
Trump’s problem is that while he expects others to hitch to him their horses, he will not hitch to them his own horse. He only deals in ways that benefit him. At the first sign (of what he perceives as) disloyalty he distances himself, insults, and drops them. His attack on Kayleigh MacEnany last year proves that.
It’s easy to see why some Republicans aren’t keen to jump back in bed with his campaign.
You might think that Trump’s radioactivity among Republicans is due to the constant flow of indictments, legal battles and other legal issues. He still has a loyal following and the latest legal drama by Special Counsel Jack Smith could lead to a rise in his polling numbers. Republicans who worked for Trump and now work in government, run for office or have moved on to better pastures elsewhere are frustrated by Trump’s erratic behavior and tendency to turn against them. Republicans are burnt out, but it’s nothing to do with being fickle or secret liberals. They are just tired of all the drama but don’t want Trump supporters to be alienated by their opposition.
Most Republicans, except for those who are now running against Trump, won’t say anything about it. Even the GOP candidates who are currently running against Trump try to avoid the topic because they want to win over Trump voters.
