Two weeks ago today, Axios reported that Americans should expect to see a different kind of Donald Trump in the wake of the assassination attempt. “Almost dying rocks perspectives — and people,” the report read.
Axios added: “Yes, Trump has shown little appetite for changing his ways, tone and words. But his advisers tell us Trump plans to seize his moment by toning down his Trumpiness, and dialing up efforts to unite a tinder-box America.”
Four days later, Politico published a related report, noting that in the aftermath of the shooting, “Republicans who have observed and spoken with former President Donald Trump say they have detected a new softness to the man whose brand has been anything but.” The article added, “GOP allies, in roughly a dozen interviews, used words like ‘emotional’ and ‘serene’ — even ‘spiritual’ — to describe Trump in the days since the attempt on his life.”
Democrats were skeptical. The GOP nominee effectively told a Minnesota audience on Saturday night that his partisan foes were right to question the reporting. The New York Times reported:
“I want to be nice,” Mr. Trump said. “They all say, ‘I think he’s changed. I think he’s changed since two weeks ago. Something affected him.’” But to a cheering crowd of thousands, Mr. Trump quickly conceded the point. “No, I haven’t changed,” he said. “Maybe I’ve gotten worse.”
Let’s not forget that the morning after the attempt on his life, the former president wrote on his social media platform, “In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United.” Hours later, the Republican was even more succinct, adding, “UNITE AMERICA!”
This attitude has obviously been thrown out the window, as Trump effectively conceded over the weekend with his “maybe I’ve gotten worse” acknowledgement.
On ABC News’ “This Week,” Martha Raddatz asked New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu yesterday about whether Trump is missing an opportunity by abandoning a “unity” focus. “He’s missing it now,” the Republican governor replied, “but hopefully they can get back on track.”
What Sununu neglected to mention is that Trump, by all appearances, has absolutely no interest in getting a “unity” focus “back on track.”
Consider what happened just two weeks before the 2018 midterm elections. Ten Democratic officials and/or veterans of the Obama administration were targeted with packages containing explosive devices, and soon after, Trump complained that media coverage of “bomb stuff” was interfering with the Republican Party’s election season strategies.
Asked whether the mail bombs might lead to a shift in his political tone, the then-president replied: “Tone down? No. Could tone up.”
Common sense might’ve suggested a more responsible course. Democrats were targeted with explosives, at which point Trump could’ve at least pretended to care about vitriolic rhetoric. He instead told reporters in the wake of the attempted violence that he was prepared to possibly make the toxic political atmosphere worse — on purpose.
Nearly six years later, it seems very little has changed.
