I think you're 100% right about Trump's true motives, and I think the Republicans in Congress know it too, but I want to add something that I've been realizing over the past couple of days...
I'm pretty sure Trump scared the living crap out of a whole bunch of Republicans on the Hill when it seemed like a war with Iran had literally already started. I think they finally got a taste of what everyone else already knew, that one false move by Trump really could crash the car, and that he wouldn't even have to consult them to do it.
In fact, they thought he'd actually crashed it for about an hour or two when a real war seemed imminent, and that was part of the immediate and negative reaction to the implications of Iran's missile strike. Tucker Carlson immediately ripping Trump over it was the earliest warning sign, and they knew that if he had actually started an ugly, needless, full-blown war with Iran, there was probably no way they were getting reelected. They thought Trump blew up the world trying to look tough and I imagine they were not happy about it.
Imagine if Mitch McConnell didn't even know Trump was going to assassinate Soleimani, then 3 days later, he has to spend 2 hours really believing Trump had set off a situation that could become WW3. I think several of them finally understood they may have ceded too much power to such a reckless individual, and I think they will try to claw some back now.
Before the missile strike, the fact that Trump could destroy the world was just a remote possibility, then it got VERY REAL for an hour or two, and some of them finally saw the light, and finally understood how easily one stupid move by Trump could destroy their futures. I think that has actually changed their calculus a little bit, leading guys like Matt Gaetz to vote FOR the Democrats non-binding resolution...
I think you're 100% right about Trump's true motives, and I think the Republicans in Congress know it too, but I want to add something that I've been realizing over the past couple of days...
I'm pretty sure Trump scared the living crap out of a whole bunch of Republicans on the Hill when it seemed like a war with Iran had literally already started. I think they finally got a taste of what everyone else already knew, that one false move by Trump really could crash the car, and that he wouldn't even have to consult them to do it.
In fact, they thought he'd actually crashed it for about an hour or two when a real war seemed imminent, and that was part of the immediate and negative reaction to the implications of Iran's missile strike. Tucker Carlson immediately ripping Trump over it was the earliest warning sign, and they knew that if he had actually started an ugly, needless, full-blown war with Iran, there was probably no way they were getting reelected. They thought Trump blew up the world trying to look tough and I imagine they were not happy about it.
Imagine if Mitch McConnell didn't even know Trump was going to assassinate Soleimani, then 3 days later, he has to spend 2 hours really believing Trump had set off a situation that could become WW3. I think several of them finally understood they may have ceded too much power to such a reckless individual, and I think they will try to claw some back now.
Before the missile strike, the fact that Trump could destroy the world was just a remote possibility, then it got VERY REAL for an hour or two, and some of them finally saw the light, and finally understood how easily one stupid move by Trump could destroy their futures. I think that has actually changed their calculus a little bit, leading guys like Matt Gaetz to vote FOR the Democrats non-binding resolution...
https://twitter.com/johnastoehr/status/1215967674758565890?s=20
I LOVE your site man! You do a great job.