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From a $1.8-billion fund for Donald Trump allies, which some critics call a “MAGA slush fund,” to retribution for Republicans who have spoken out against him, the U.S. president is pushing his personal agenda amid declining approval ratings and the approaching midterm elections.
On Tuesday night, the scandal-plagued Ken Paxton, endorsed by Trump last week, defeated four-term U.S. Senator John Cornyn for the Republican Senate nomination.
And last week, Thomas Massie, who led the push in Congress for a bill that forced the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, lost the Kentucky primary after Trump supported his opponent, Ed Gallrein. Trump has publicly derided Massie, calling him “a major sleazebag.”
Additionally, Trump has announced an Anti-Weaponization Fund, a byproduct of Trump’s legal settlement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Critics are calling it a “MAGA slush fund,” which could be used by people prosecuted for crimes related to the 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol.
Even some Republicans are denouncing the move, such as Sen. Mitch McConnell, who called it “utterly stupid” and “morally wrong.”
This week on Two Blocks from the White House, Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Louis Blouin ask: How far can Donald Trump go before paying the political price?
We’ve included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion follow the podcast here: Spotify | Apple | CBC Listen | All podcast apps | YouTube
WATCH | Will Donald Trump’s revenge tour backfire?:
Louis Blouin: The question for me is, is this the right bet to go in supporting full patch MAGA Trump loyalist candidates, when the voters next fall that will make a difference — that will sway this election — are moderates.
Paul Hunter: It seems what matters more to Trump is whether he has loyalists, regardless of how that plays out.
Louis Blouin: But that’s not speaking to independents and moderates that will have an important say in those purple districts, and purple races, purple states, the people that will sway the election. Now Trump is saying to them: No, I’m going hard Trump loyalist, MAGA. So is that a good decision for the party? I’m wondering, Paul, if President Trump is becoming his own worst enemy with this.
Paul Hunter We’ll find out. I’m not saying that to dodge the question because nobody quite understands what his strategy is on this. Like, what is his actual thinking? Is it to make himself feel better that he’s got loyalists around?
It’s as if Trump and his advisers have concluded that they can do whatever they want, right? And if they win, they win. And if they lose on whatever the thing is, if they lose, they lose. But if they win, they win. And generally they’ve been winning, from their perspective, I think you could argue. But it’s like they’ve decided, there are no reins on us. Whether it’s a workaround or a loophole or some sort of thing, wherever it’s written down, they can find a way through and they can do it. He seems to believe that there is no stopping himself.
Louis Blouin And I know it’s a bit of an extreme question, but like, does he care about the future of the party? Because after that, if it doesn’t bode well for him in November, he could say: Well, my name was not on the ballot. I was able to get those wins before and you guys can’t. And you know, that’s not my problem.
