In perhaps his most delusional move yet, Donald Trump is reportedly telling close friends and allies that he’ll be back in the White House by the end of the summer. According to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, “Trump has been telling a number of people he’s in contact with that he expects he will get reinstated by August.” As Haberman notes, “that isn’t how it works,” which should go without saying, but naturally, the talking point is already taking hold amongst Trump’s rabid supporters.
Trump has been telling a number of people he’s in contact with that he expects he will get reinstated by August (no that isn’t how it works but simply sharing the information). https://t.co/kaXSXKnpF0
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 1, 2021
However, Trump isn’t the the first person to parrot the “reinstated” talking point. Sidney Powell (a.k.a. “The Kraken”) made headlines over the holiday weekend when she attended a QAnon conference and claimed that Trump would be reinstated, but he wouldn’t be credited for lost time after Biden is ousted. “But he should definitely get the reminder of his term and make the best of it, that’s for sure,” Powell told the QAnon crowd.
But with Trump starting to run with the “reinstated” claim, prominent Republicans like David Frum are calling the former president “delusional” while also noting the dangerous implications of rehashing the “Big Lie” that led to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol building.
It’s a delusional fantasy, obviously, but it’s a fantasy about a violent coup – which is really something from an ex-president. https://t.co/OYV716VMAy
— David Frum (@davidfrum) June 1, 2021
Even Fox News contributor Byron York warned that this latest Trump move will have serious consequences for the Republican Party:
Trump reportedly echoing what lawyer Sidney Powell said over weekend. (See below.) Short answer: Reinstatement cannot and will not happen. If Trump brings this up in public, will likely increase number of Republicans who say they are ready to move on. https://t.co/UVwK3fl5KE https://t.co/rFTee7P2ux pic.twitter.com/AwNR9ZamB0
— Byron York (@ByronYork) June 1, 2021
In an interesting move, Jenna Ellis, who helped lead Trump’s legal efforts to overturn the election results has also come out against the “reinstated” talking point. Although, she attempted to thread the needle by calling the election stolen in the process.
The election was lawless, six states allowed their delegates to vote by false certifications, but the EC process happened.
The Constitution has only one process for removal of a sitting president: impeachment and conviction.
No, President Trump is not going to be “reinstated.”
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) May 30, 2021
Despite pandering to the MAGA crowd by claiming the election was stolen to soften the blow that Trump can’t be reinstated, Raw Story reports that Ellis was blasted by Trump supporters and called “incompetent,” which is surely a sign of things to come.