| Trump’s October barrage |
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| Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photos: Getty Images |
| President Trump is carrying his insatiable appetite for controversy into the most unforgiving stretch of the electoral calendar, fortified by a decade of political survival, Axios’ Zachary Basu writes. “Bottom line, it’s gonna all work out. You know why? It always does,” Trump told reporters this week. Why it matters: Gone are the days of a single “October surprise.” It’s been swallowed by a barrage of scandals, provocations and shattered conventions that have persisted in the closing weeks of Trump’s final midterm election. The big picture: Axios has documented Trump’s steady demolition of presidential norms in his second term, from the transition through his first 100 days and first year in office. This year, even the threat of losing Congress β and with it, much of his ability to pursue his agenda over the next two years β has done little to temper the pace or audacity of Trump’s presidency Consider the first 15 days of October alone, and the succession of controversies that might have shaken the foundation of a more conventional presidency:Raid on a political opponent: Federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) home and seized her phone as part of an investigation aimed at stripping the sitting member of Congress of her U.S. citizenship and ultimately deporting her, The Wall Street Journal reports. Calls to shoot leakers: Trump declared at an Arizona campaign rally that officials who leak sensitive military information “should be shot,” invoking an earlier era when he claimed the government routinely executed leakers. Concessions to Vladimir Putin: Trump eased sanctions on Russian diesel, demanded the ouster of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and pressured Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries, even as Moscow continued bombing Ukrainian infrastructure. Federal crackdown on the press: The Justice Department launched an antitrust investigation into ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC after the networks suspended White House TV pool coverage to protest Trump’s ban on three news organizations. $5,000 election promise: Trump pledged to send every adult American a $5,000 check if Republicans retain control of Congress, explicitly tying more than $1 trillion in proposed federal payments to the outcome of the midterms. President Trump greets former NFL and University of Georgia star running back Todd Gurley at a campaign rally in Dalton, Ga., yesterday. Photo: Eric Lee/Getty ImagesThe other side: Three October episodes forced Trump into rare retreats. A televised execution: Trump scrapped Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to livestream a convicted mass murderer’s execution by firing squad after bipartisan outrage. An ambassador’s downfall: Trump forced Kimberly Guilfoyle β who was engaged to his son for four years until 2024 β to resign as ambassador to Greece after reports that she solicited $100,000 from a political donor to cover personal credit-card bills. A five-day press secretary: Trump ousted Katie Zacharia amid scrutiny of her legal credentials and a widely criticized debut. Axios reports Trump was blindsided to learn that Zacharia β whom he had introduced as an attorney β had never passed the bar exam. What they’re saying: Far from seeing October as a month of political peril, the administration is celebrating it as a continuation of Trump’s record. White House assistant press secretary Allison Schuster told Axios: “Since Day 1 of his administration, President Trump has boldly and consistently fulfilled his campaign promises to protect national security, make America beautiful, secure the border, crack down on crime, ensure free and fair elections, and make life more affordable. “The bottom line: Trump is treating a moment of maximum political vulnerability like business as usual, betting that the instincts that carried him this far won’t fail him now. Share this story. |
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Consider the first 15 days of October alone, and the succession of controversies that might have shaken the foundation of a more conventional presidency:
President Trump greets former NFL and University of Georgia star running back Todd Gurley at a campaign rally in Dalton, Ga., yesterday. Photo: Eric Lee/Getty Images