Donald Trump is reportedly ready to “burn it all down” as several investigations into his and his family’s conduct begin to close in on him.
The former president’s role in sewing distrust over the outcome of the 2020 election result is being looked at by the 6 January Select Committee, while his company’s financial affairs are also being forensically examined by investigators in New York.
However, far from withdrawing from public life, Mr Trump has instead been talking up a possible comeback in recent weeks. At last weekend’s rally in Texas, the 75-year-old teased another presidential run in 2024, as well as the possibility of pardoning the 6 January rioters should his campaign be successful.
On Sunday night, Mr Trump also issued a statement that the January 6 committee will view as a confession, in which he claimed it is unfortunate that Mike Pence “didn’t overturn the 2020 election”.
During a segment of John King’s CNN show, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman came on to discuss Mr Trump’s recent statements.
“We begin this hour with the former president, his weekend of lies and reckless promises and the debate between Republicans who adore him and Republicans who abhor him,” Mr King opened with, via RawStory.
Ms Haberman was then asked by the anchor to try and get inside the mindset of the former Commander-in-Chief.
“You tweeted last night that Trump was saying the quiet out loud when he issued this statement,” Mr King said. “But what did that tell you about Donald Trump’s mindset and thinking at this juncture?”
“He’s in, John, burn it all down mode and has been for some time,” Ms Haberman replied.
“It raises questions for me, candidly, about the vetting process around these statements going out because that was a jarring statement, I think not just for the January 6 committee, but probably for lawyers involved in the civil suits against Donald Trump related to the riot of the Capitol on January 6,” she warned.
“So you take all of that together and you see the portrait of somebody who really doesn’t care anymore and wants to put it all on his terms and who knows he can keep pushing the bounds and there basically so far — other than losing the election, which is not nothing, but other than losing the election — there haven’t been that many penalties.”
