Trump’s Post-Verdict Playbook: Anger and Retribution, Regardless of the Outcome
Former President Donald J. Trump has a history of attacking investigators, blaming President Biden and seeking vengeance on those who cross him.
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…even with a full acquittal, Mr. Trump will be angry and vengeful, and will direct attacks against everyone he perceives to be responsible for the Manhattan district attorney’s prosecution. He will continue to level the attacks publicly, at rallies and on Truth Social, and privately encourage his House Republican allies to subpoena his Democratic enemies.
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“Regardless of the outcome, the playbook is the same,” said Alyssa Farah Griffin, Mr. Trump’s former White House communications director…
Mr. Trump’s team is still determining his plans for the period after the trial’s conclusion, timing that remains at the mercy of the jury.
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“An acquittal or a hung jury is just absolute gold for Trump. And it will resonate with a lot of people,” Ms. Griffin said. “He doesn’t want to be convicted for a variety of reasons, but I do think he realizes there’s a way to turn this into political jet fuel.”
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The retribution may be more serious this time, especially if Mr. Trump retakes the White House next year. He has already said… that he holds Mr. Biden personally responsible for every one of his 88 criminal charges in four jurisdictions.
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…[John] Bolton…predicted Mr. Trump would blame Mr. Biden for the verdict, whatever it might be.
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Allies of Mr. Trump, including Stephen K. Bannon, his former chief strategist, have urged House Republicans to start issuing subpoenas to people involved in the various prosecutions of Mr. Trump. They have said…that all the charges against Mr. Trump are part of a sprawling Biden-directed criminal conspiracy against the former president.
“This criminal prosecution in New York is part of President Biden’s lawfare and election interference against President Trump on many fronts,” said Mike Davis, a Republican lawyer and vocal supporter of Mr. Trump.
“What should come next is the House Judiciary Committee, including the weaponization subcommittee, should be aggressively issuing subpoenas for documents and witnesses,” he said.
