Donald Trump understands the power of revisiting history.
Over the course of twenty years, Trump has consistently presented and re-presented various versions of his own story, which have often involved significant revisions to the facts that were commonly known about him.
Before his short-lived presidency, Donald Trump was already famous as a bold and sometimes financially troubled New York real estate magnate and casino owner.
In 2004, NBC aired “The Apprentice,” a reality television show that controversially portrayed Trump as an infallible business genius. Surprisingly, this role not only rescued him from financial troubles but also played a significant role in propelling him to the presidency.
Trump continues to rewrite history at a rapid pace.
Trump has go-to lies he tells on repeat for the sake of his followers
During his speech in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday, Trump perpetuated his favorite falsehoods, rewriting history in the process. He continued to claim that the 2020 election, which he lost, was “rigged.” Furthermore, he asserted that our lives were better four years ago when he was president. Perhaps most disturbingly, he referred to the individuals who attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021, at his urging, as “patriots” who have done no wrong.
Trump tells these lies because he knows they are effective, especially among his current supporters. According to a January poll conducted by USA TODAY/Suffolk University, two-thirds of Trump voters do not trust the results of the 2020 election, and many of them are starting to change their stance on the Capitol rioters.
A salute to the Jan. 6 ‘patriots’
In his speech on Saturday, Trump began by acknowledging his “patriots.” As he stepped onto the stage, he saluted while the announcer requested the crowd to stand in honor of the “horribly and unfairly treated Jan. 6 hostages.”
A familiar scene unfolded at the Trump rally as a choir composed of defendants held on Jan. 6 rioting charges filled the air with their rendition of “Justice For All.” Amidst their powerful performance, President Trump joined in, reciting lines from the Pledge of Allegiance, creating a harmonious blend of patriotism and unity.
During his speech, Trump expressed his concern for the “hostages” who he believed were being treated unfairly. He promised to take action to rectify the situation if he were to win the election in November. However, he shifted the focus to himself, overshadowing the issue at hand.
In his speech, Trump expressed frustration over the consequences of fighting a crooked election, stating, “You fight an election and they end up indicting you because you fought a crooked election.” He emphasized this point again later in his speech, claiming, “I’m being indicted for you.”
Tens of thousands of individuals showed up at Trump’s Jan. 6 rally, where a portion of them proceeded to march towards the Capitol. While many demonstrators maintained a peaceful approach, there were others who engaged in clashes with the police, vandalized windows, and even resorted to theft of government property.
The election is about to commence with a sense of urgency. It is imperative for Biden to regain the support of the voters from the 2020 election. On the other hand, Trump’s focus remains solely on the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, charges have been filed against over 1,300 individuals from almost all 50 states. The list of sentences spans 94 pages and includes individuals who were given probation, home detention, or prison terms lasting only a few days or weeks.
Trump is still claiming 2020 was ‘rigged’ – and claims he’ll stop 2024 from being stolen, too
2024 for Trump was always going to revolve around 2020.
Axios stirred up quite a bit of skepticism on social media a couple of weeks ago when it published a report, quoting anonymous top advisers of Trump, claiming that he was moving away from discussing past grievances such as the 2020 election, and instead, shifting his focus to 2024 issues like the economy. Many found it difficult to believe that Trump would abandon such topics of conversation.
And he did not. During his speech on Saturday, he focused on the same old grievances, particularly the outcome of the 2020 election.
Trump’s incessant need to talk about his loss is not going to diminish anytime soon. His ego, which dictates his actions, cannot tolerate the fact that he was defeated. It is clear that he will continue to hold onto this grievance for a long time.
I can see why his campaign staff would want him to do so. According to the January USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll, it was revealed that while his supporters believe in his claims about the 2020 election, other voters view them as baseless. The poll found that a staggering 98% of Biden supporters believe that he was elected fairly, while 82% of voters who consider third-party candidates also share this sentiment.
Trump’s supporters are drawn to his litany of grievances, finding resonance in his message. However, this approach can also alienate independent and undecided voters who see through the baseless claims. Winning a presidency necessitates the ability to build coalitions and attract voters, rather than repel them.
Republicans applauded when the ‘coolest dictator’ stood up for Trump. It’s a rather perplexing sight.
Trump says we were better off four years ago, when COVID tore through the world
Four years ago today, the news broke that COVID-19 had reached every state in the United States. At the time, the Trump administration was actively advocating for stimulus checks to be distributed to all Americans. This measure aimed to alleviate the anticipated economic consequences of the pandemic, which included a surge in unemployment rates and a significant decline in stock market values on Wall Street.
According to a poll conducted by NPR, “PBS NewsHour,” and Marist, it was discovered that a majority of Americans, 60% to be exact, lacked trust in the statements made by Trump regarding the epidemic at that time.
Facebook’s “memories” app is bound to bring up memories from four years ago, reminding you of a time when your life took a significant turn. In my personal experience, Facebook recently reminded me of a post where I mentioned working from home for a few weeks, which unexpectedly extended to almost two years.
Receive updates from your preferred columnists and expert analysis on important issues directly on your device with the USA TODAY app. If you don’t have the app yet, you can easily download it for free from your app store.
In a spirited address to his loyal supporters on Saturday, Trump attributed his current nomination for president to his past success four years ago.
He expressed, “You have a strong appreciation for the work I accomplished over the course of four years. You yearn to return to the exceptional state of our economy, which was the best we have ever witnessed.”
According to a recent poll conducted by USA TODAY/Suffolk County University, it was found that voters have slightly more trust in Trump’s ability to handle the economy compared to Biden, with 40% of respondents favoring Trump and 38% favoring Biden. However, the poll also indicated that there is a belief among some voters that an economic rebound is on the horizon.
It’s understandable why he would do that. All politicians tend to focus on their strengths and downplay any negative aspects. However, this approach is more effective during the primaries when they are addressing their potential supporters. But now, things have changed. We are in the general election phase, even though we still have 33 weeks to go until November 5th.
