I am having trouble believing that Trump really believed that

[Baitball Blogger]

executive privilege would follow him into the After-Potus years. Today we learn that the Courts do not support this position. Wasn't that outcome a sure thing? Did Trump sleep through the Clinton trials, where Clinton had to face the courts and an independent counsel, who went so far as to cheat and leak to bring Clinton down? Who wouldn't see that as a deterrence?

And yet, Trump, on January 6 went balls to the wall into insurrection territory.

I just have trouble grappling with this. Was it hubris? Was it ignorance? Was it a belief that he was going to coup his way through every American procedure that was standing in his way?

[H2O Man]

1. Recommended.

Good question. I don't think Trump had a grasp of the executive branch -- before, during, and/or after being president. His insights on government in general were rather shallow, being limited to paying off some officials in NYC and donating to others.

[brush]

12. Spot on. His depth of knowledge of how to operate in...

Last edited Fri Dec 2, 2022, 05:50 PM - Edit history (3)

government was from previous experiences...payoffs, donations and such...and though it sounds incongruous to say that his Manhattan experience had the depth of a sidewalk puddle, it did compared to what he was faced with in the complex machinations of governmental forces in DC, and now his post-presidency.

[H2O Man]

15. I remember when

George W. Bush was called "the un-curious president." That fit, although he did have some insight into how government functions. He had been a governor. Heck, he even had Dick Cheney giving him on the job training. Trump's qualifications and abilities were far closer to those of Herschel Walker than Bush.

[brush]

24. Woohoo, what a statement. Sad but true though.

[Mad_Machine76]

2. Clinton had to testify and stuff

WHILE he was in office, but Trump has been enabled and prevented from experiencing any real consequences of his actions for his entire life, so, I'm not entirely surprised that he thought he'd just skate on by this too. In fact, there's still lots of questions about whether he'll even be held accountable for 1/6 or the classified docs and have to do any jail time for anything. But at least his blatant (alleged) lawbreaking is not being completely ignored this time and he might really have to be facing the music.

[Thomas Hurt]

3. My opinion is that the Pig is so transactional and narcissistic that he actually thinks...

he made a "deal" and bought the presidency. He did not sell it, so it is still his. Not to mention he wants to be dictator to feed his narcissism. The Pig thinks he has been ripped off and denied what he wants.

[Mz Pip]

4. Yeah, he believed it.

He’s never had to face any real personal consequences for anything he’s done. Why should he think this would be any different?

And so far, he’s right. He still hasn’t faced any consequences. He’s running for president again fercrissake.

[PatSeg]

8. Yep, he believed his own hype of many years

He is such a "great deal-maker", he really thought he could transact his way out of anything. What is really alarming is that in many ways he could and did, which reinforced his arrogance.

I think a small part of him knows, however, that it won't last forever and that a reckoning is inevitable. It is very small and he keeps pushing it to the back of his brain, but it is still there eating away at him.

[calimary]

5. Whatever lets him get away with it.

That’s all it is.

[fightforfreedom]

6. Trump is a textbook narcissist. Their brains do not work in a normal way.

Trump sees himself as a king who should be honored by everyone. Trump is also very aware of threats to him. Trump knew remaining president would protect him from being charged for any crime. For a narcissist, that is paradise. It's like hitting the lottery.

Like most narcissists Trump could not control himself in his quest to remain president. He was so desperate he was willing to do almost anything to remain president. Trump is going to have the same ending as most narcissists. A very bad ending.

[Scrivener7]

7. Belief or non-belief does not exist in tfgs universe.

Neither does truth or lie. What exists is only, "benefits me or doesn't benefit me."

The executive privilege argument is absurd. It would embarass any sentient person to propose it.

But it gums up the works and creates delay. Delay is great for tfg, so in his reptile brain that goes in the "benefits me" pile.

And so here we are.

[Happy Hoosier]

9. Well....

1) Trump isn't very smart.
2) He is a complete narcissist
3) He surrounds himself with sychophants.
4) He is such a perpetual liar that he cannot tell the difference between a lie and the truth... they run together for him.

I honestly believe that he has gotten away with placing himself above the rules for so long that he genuinely believes he is above the law. Until he drew all this attention to himself, he made it so expensive and hard to go after him that it was basically true. And if he had to spend half of what he stole or defrauded in avoiding accountability, it was still a win. And most of his victims were just not in a position to hang in there long enough to get a result. And if they WERE winning, Trump usually just made a settlement and moved on... often still making a net profit (to himself....).

This is really the first time he's come up against an opponent determined to boree through his vile, vacuaous bullshit, and he has no idea what to do.

[Ray Bruns]

10. I don't know, he is pretty stupid.

[C_U_L8R]

11. He thought he had executive privilege even before he was an occupant of the WH

Yes, ignorance, hubris, greed, ego. He is the worst of us.

[chriscan64]

13. I don't think he thinks that deeply into it.

He gets a subpoena for documents or testimony and just says he won't comply. His yes men lawyers cobble together a half-assed legal argument with duct tape invoking privilege or whatnot. Opposing counsel, legal experts and judges see right through it. What is going on in his brain and out of his mouth are even more half-assed than the legal defenses put forth in court.

[twodogsbarking]

14. Rational people expect others to act rationally. Trump ain't rational.

He will not react as rational people do. His attitude is fuck everybody
and double fuck them for calling him out. The basis of his success.

[Demsrule86]

16. He thought he could and would overthrow our Republic and become a Putinesque dictator.

He never believed he would face a Biden presidency or an impartial judiciary system.

[FelineOverlord]

17. From what I understand

Trump thought the FBI and DOJ were own personal law enforcement entities and that the Attorney General was his own personal lawyer.

He simply does not grasp the concept that not everything is about him.

[Kaleva]

18. It all makes sense in Lala Land where his brain resides.

[Whiskeytide]

19. This entire thread - every post - may be the best distillation of his ...

… personality flaws and fucked-upidness I have seen. Book marking for future pontification and response sourcing. Thanks for this.

[Cracklin Charlie]

20. He wasn't leaving.

There would have been no post-presidency, if he never left.

[tanyev]

21. I think once he became President he figured "L'etat, c'est moi."

In fact, maybe becoming president was merely a formal recognition of something he was already starting to believe.

[TlalocW]

22. I think he thought he was going to outrun some metaphorical clock

He has long gotten his own way his entire life through unscrupulous means which makes him think he's the smartest guy in any room. It takes time to get through the various BS roadblocks he tries to set up, but it can be done.

[Dan]

23. Why is it so hard to believe

That Trump is just stupid.

[brush]

26. He is, but just smart enough to turn things over to his lawyers...

and fixers to get him out of legal difficulties through delays and payoffs etc. Early on he had his father's money, much of which he swindled from his late brother's estate, and later on money from crooked casino and real estate deals via Russian money laundering.

He always managed to slither his way through... not this time though IMO.

[Silent3]

25. Trump was counting on Trump privilege

Calling it "executive privilege" just gave the privilege he always expects for himself a fancier name.

Trump has been granted so much privilege all of this life, with too many other people willingly granting it to him, that of course he expects to keep getting it.

[Caliman73]

27. Trump lives in a fantasy world where his opinion is reality.

It is likely a defense mechanism that he has used to escape abuse and neglect as a child from his parents. Being born into a wealthy family, he has rarely had to suffer consequences from anyone but his parents. He has been used to using his family's money to avoid significant consequences for his choices and bad deeds.

This is deep seated, basically personality at this point. Some might say it is delusional, however, as I said, his money and connections have been able to get him out of situations that would have landed the average person in prison or gotten them killed.

Trump fits most of the criteria for being labeled a sociopath, which indicates that while he fears being caught and exposed, to some degree, he also feels that the rules of society do not apply to him.

[Chainfire]

28. Trump still considers that he IS President, and therefore has Executive Privledge.

I don't know why that is hard to understand.

Trump has gone his entire life with no one ever telling him "No" or slapping his hand. The courts are now trying to correct the failings of Trump's parents and subsequent business associates. I don't believe he is taking the change of direction very well. Perhaps associating with Nazis will improve his situation; after all, they are the only ones who still love him.

[tinrobot]

29. He may or may not believe it, but it won't stop him from trying to get others to believe it.

That's mostly what con men do.