Opinion: Donald Trump Brought This on Himself
In a stunning turn of events, former President Donald Trump has been indicted on multiple counts related to the unlawful retention of classified documents. While the legal proceedings have already sparked controversy, there are several crucial points to consider in this unfolding legal drama. But one of the most glaring issues with this whole saga is something that many in the conservative realm won’t want to hear: Trump brought this on himself.
Trump has been indicted on 37 counts, including willful retention of national defense information and obstruction of justice. The indictment alleges that Trump unlawfully kept classified documents, including nuclear secrets and information related to military vulnerabilities, in boxes stored in his bathroom, shower, and other areas of his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.
The documents reportedly contained sensitive information about defense and weapons capabilities, U.S. nuclear programs, and potential military attack vulnerabilities. Trump’s close aide, Walt Nauta, has also been indicted on six criminal counts related to the alleged conspiracy.
The unsealed indictment claims that Trump was personally involved in transporting the classified documents from the White House to Mar-a-Lago as he prepared to leave office in January 2021. It further accuses him of improperly holding onto classified documents originating from various government agencies, including the CIA, Pentagon, and State Department.
The indictment also alleges that Trump showed classified documents to individuals at his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey in 2021. Trump has denied the charges and criticized both the indictment and the special counsel, calling it a “hoax” and accusing Smith of being biased against him.
He’s right.
The Justice Department is completely biased against Trump. The left is using the Justice Department and other legal authorities to influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. This indictment, along with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s action against the former president, is 100 percent motivated by politics. We have already seen that plenty of other presidents and other government officials have committed similar offenses without facing charges.
However, Trump’s decision to take the documents in the first place was probably the absolute most braindead thing he’s ever done while in office. Keeping sensitive information in boxes at Mar-a-Lago was undeniably reckless and exposed him to significant legal vulnerabilities.
Even further, his failure to return the documents after the issue was raised was also a low-IQ move on his part. Regardless of the motivations behind the indictment, it would have been in his best interest to cooperate fully and transparently with the authorities. By withholding the documents, he inadvertently provided his adversaries with ammunition to attack his credibility and fuel the narrative of his alleged misconduct.
Former President Trump has been targeted by the Deep State and figures on the authoritarian left since the moment he came down the golden escalator. After having been spied on by the previous administration, falsely accused of colluding with Russia, impeached twice for the most ridiculous of reasons, wouldn’t you think Trump would know better than to give his enemies the ammunition they have been wanting ever since he first started campaigning?
For the life of me, I can’t comprehend how Trump and his team thought it was a good idea to take the documents, and then continue to hold on to them afterward. This move was about as smart as going quail hunting with Dick Cheney.
Those who are willing to be honest about Trump’s foibles know that he often exacerbates these issues by disregarding common sense and listening to people who do not have his best interests at heart. In this case, his alleged mishandling of classified documents has handed his opponents a powerful weapon that could be used to hinder his political ambitions.
Whether this indictment will truly impact the 2024 election remains to be seen. This indictment might cause some to doubt whether he should have another shot at the White House. If he couldn’t foresee this scenario and do what was necessary to prevent it, then how will he be able to take these people on if he gets back in office? Is the conservative base willing to go through more of these SNAFUs if Trump becomes president again?
Trump will certainly play up the political motivation involved in this indictment – but it seems possible that those who supported him previously might start growing weary of his self-inflicted drama.
