I feel like every week, I’m reading some new story about how the conditions are worsening for people who have to work for Donald Trump. For a while, it was just general discontent, lots of random media leaks and general distrust. Every time an expose or book would come out, Trump would call it fiction, and we’d hear that he was angry that staffers might be talking. Then Bob Woodward, the nation’s most well respected journalist and presidential biographer, released his book, and the hype surrounding that caused even more turmoil. Within DAYS of that, a Op-Ed written by an anonymous West Wing staffer was published in the New York Times, and things got so bad that rumors of polygraph tests were starting to circulate. Now a new Op-Ed from the Times suggest that staffers may have been plotting to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. Now, in fairness to that story, the validity of that claim is in question. It’s been noted that the remarks in question may have been sarcastic or meant to be a joke, but none the less, apparently the atmosphere for employees in the White House has only gotten worse. Trump seems to have lost confidence that he can trust anyone in his employ, and rumor has it, prone to outbursts at anyone who seems traitor-y. But this can’t last forever. There has to be some kind of breaking point, right?
Donald Trump likes to control the narrative. He likes people to know that he’s not just a President. He’s a rock star! In his rallies, he’s never on stage alone. The crowd is never JUST in front on him. He always has people behind him. People to look excited, impressed an hopeful. Because that’s the narrative. He’s the great leader that inspires the people! So when someone behind him isn’t enforcing that narrative, that can be a problem. If someone were to stand RIGHT behind him, and look incredulous and mystified by something he said, something contentious…that might give the impression that maybe his leadership isn’t so great. That maybe he doesn’t have all the answers. I mean, if someone who was put on that stage as one of his supporters doesn’t read as “convinced”, his word might not be gospel. Which brings us to a rally in Billings Montana last Thursday. A young man in a plaid shirt seemed a little taken aback by remarks Trump was making. His unfortunate position right behind Trump clearly didn’t send the best optics, at which point, he was escorted off the stage by a young lady, who then replaced him. Then for good measure, two other people standing right beside the young man were also replaced by more “enthusiastic” women. According to the young man, he wasn’t simply removed, he was also held by the Secret Service and questioned. For doing nothing more than reacting to a speech. Because as Trump knows, you can’t ever lose control of that narrative.
Mind the Exit 