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Opinion: Donald Trump's influence is fading
Rachel discussed this earlier this week. TFG is losing his control over the GOP and his nut case supporters
Link to tweet
On both counts, Trump's stunt suggests a man operating not from a place of confidence and strength, but of anxiety and confusion. Anyone following the House select committee on January 6 would understand why. News from the committee indicates they are focused on Trump and his inner circle, with the possibility they could make criminal referrals to the Justice Department, sources told CNN. In the meantime, key figures like rally organizer Ali Alexander are cooperating with the committee.
It's clear the former President wants to shore up his standing within the party -- but taking in his efforts to stay relevant in the last year, it's safe to say his power is limited. Sure, Trump has played an outsized role in shaping the GOP; his lies about election fraud have taken hold within the party, Republican-controlled states have passed a number of voter restriction laws and he's ushered in an era of increasing extremism. But now that he no longer holds the highest office in the land, Trump himself is far from the kingmaker he wants to be.
Looking back on the year, Trump's attempts to wield his power over the GOP have been spotty. State-level attempts to overturn the 2020 election results have all failed, and when the former president pushed the governor of Texas to advance election audit legislation, it went nowhere. Meanwhile, his hand-picked candidate for the US Senate seat in Pennsylvania suspended his campaign amid allegations of domestic abuse. And in Alabama, his support for Senate candidate Mo Brooks appears to be having little effect (you may recall that Trump's weakness showed in Alabama in 2017 when his picks for US Senate lost both in the primary and general election.)
Other Trump setbacks include the failure of his endorsed candidate in a special Congressional election in Texas. And those who are waging primary battles against incumbent Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the January 6 insurrection are struggling with fundraising. In the most glaring example, January 6 committee member Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming -- a Republican who may top the list of Trump's enemies -- has 10 times more campaign cash than her Trump-endorsed challenger, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings from October.
In Washington, DC, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the most powerful Republican in office, seems to be distancing himself from Trump. He recently expressed interest in the January 6 committee's effort to "reveal all of the participants who were involved," and added, "It was a horrendous event, and I think what they are seeking to find out is something the public needs to know."
It's clear the former President wants to shore up his standing within the party -- but taking in his efforts to stay relevant in the last year, it's safe to say his power is limited. Sure, Trump has played an outsized role in shaping the GOP; his lies about election fraud have taken hold within the party, Republican-controlled states have passed a number of voter restriction laws and he's ushered in an era of increasing extremism. But now that he no longer holds the highest office in the land, Trump himself is far from the kingmaker he wants to be.
Looking back on the year, Trump's attempts to wield his power over the GOP have been spotty. State-level attempts to overturn the 2020 election results have all failed, and when the former president pushed the governor of Texas to advance election audit legislation, it went nowhere. Meanwhile, his hand-picked candidate for the US Senate seat in Pennsylvania suspended his campaign amid allegations of domestic abuse. And in Alabama, his support for Senate candidate Mo Brooks appears to be having little effect (you may recall that Trump's weakness showed in Alabama in 2017 when his picks for US Senate lost both in the primary and general election.)
Other Trump setbacks include the failure of his endorsed candidate in a special Congressional election in Texas. And those who are waging primary battles against incumbent Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the January 6 insurrection are struggling with fundraising. In the most glaring example, January 6 committee member Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming -- a Republican who may top the list of Trump's enemies -- has 10 times more campaign cash than her Trump-endorsed challenger, according to the most recent Federal Election Commission filings from October.
In Washington, DC, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the most powerful Republican in office, seems to be distancing himself from Trump. He recently expressed interest in the January 6 committee's effort to "reveal all of the participants who were involved," and added, "It was a horrendous event, and I think what they are seeking to find out is something the public needs to know."
30 replies
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About the National Archives case. 
