Should Trump be charged with obstruction of justice or mishandling national security secrets? That depends to a large extent on his intent in keeping the classified documents he took with him when he left the White House. And one of the relevant factors in establishing his intentions is the timing of removing the boxes once he had received a subpoena.
The Washington Post reported news that Trump may not like, but that may bring special council Jack Smith a significant step closer to unraveling what happened. It turns out his employees moved the boxes the day before FBI agents and a prosecutor visited Mar-a-Lago to retrieve the classified documents. There had even been a "dress rehearsal" to prepare for such an event, and the Washington Post also reported that "Trump at times kept classified documents in his office in a place where they were visible and sometimes showed them to others."
It's just another day in America, where the U.S. seems to have entered a vulnerable phase in its history as a democracy. A stage where in comparison, Richard Nixon's track record seems like the behavior of a naughty schoolboy. Just compare the Watergate break-in by a few men in suits with the storming of The Capitol by a violent mob encouraged by the President of the United States. And then multiply this event with everything else that comes to light about the former President's actions.
Speaking of which, the New York Times reported that: "Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, was sentenced on Thursday to 18 years in prison for his conviction on seditious conspiracy charges for the role he played in helping to mobilize the pro-Trump attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021."
And to complete my circle of thought that started with today's news, then brought me back to Nixon's days before I returned to today's information about Steward Rhodes' sentencing; it rightly or wrongly made me think of the ultimate Watergate memory for those like me that were (just) too young to follow the events in detail: Carl Bernstein's "All the President's men." Specifically, I thought about "Deep Throat's" line: "If you shoot too high and miss, then everyone feels more secure. Lawyers work this way."
This is the full quote:
"Deep Throat stamped his foot. 'A conspiracy like this...a conspiracy investigation...the rope has to tighten slowly around everyone's neck. You build convincingly from the outer edges in, you get ten times the evidence you need against the Hunts and the Liddys. They feel hopelessly finished - they may not talk right away, but the grip is on them.
Then you move up and do the same thing at the next level. If you shoot too high and miss, then everyone feels more secure. Lawyers work this way. I'm sure smart reporters must, too. You've put the investigation back months. It puts everyone on the defensive - editors, FBI agents, everybody has to go into a crouch after this.'
Woodward swallowed hard. He deserved the lecture."
Today's lesson from history: justice is slowly being served at higher and higher levels.
I hope Jack Smith has a copy on his bedside table.
But before I let you go, I want to add that this is just one detail of a day in the U.S. when democracy, democratic rights, and the checks and balances that form the foundation of a well-functioning democracy are at stake. As a European who often visits the United States, I feel more of the tensions in the current polarized society and political landscape each time I'm there. I sincerely hope for more passionate pleas for reason and rationality.
Yet, this is just one aspect of a day in America when the very foundations of democracy, democratic rights, and the checks and balances that safeguard the nation are at risk. Each day, the news brings forth developments that deeply trouble me. Whether it is a federal decision, such as the Supreme Court's recent ruling limiting the power of the Environmental Protection Agency to address water pollution, or actions at the state, municipal, or even school level, the cumulative effect is worrisome.
For example, a school in Florida made headlines by restricting access to Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem, recited at President Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration. Astonishingly, a parent complained that the poem, mistakenly believed to be written by Oprah Winfrey, was not educational and contained "indirectly" hateful messages. In addition, this same parent took issue with books like "Black History" and decried them as promoting indoctrination through Critical Race Theory.
I'm worried about the America of Musk and DeSantis, where untaxed extreme wealth meets unrestrained right-wing populism.
I'm worried about women's rights, and teachers' fear of educating students on essential topics such as gender identity, racism, literature, sexual orientation, or even the artistry of Michelangelo's David.
I'm worried about the United States' course on limiting individual freedom in the land of the free.
And I am worried when expressions of hate and intolerance are confused with freedom of speech.
Most of all, I'm worried about a society where people lose hope for a fairer and better future in the land of the American Dream. The hopeless may be tricked into believing that there are easy solutions and that "others" in society are to blame for all that is wrong. However, removing the others and everything they stand for has never proven to be a solution.
Nor will it this time.
The strength of a democracy lies in its ability to engage in constructive debate, hold leaders accountable, and ensure that the fundamental values of justice, equality, and freedom are upheld. The "resist" movement I mainly follow in social media is worried about the erosion of these values and advocates for a society where reason prevails over blind allegiance to populist leaders.
America's polarized society needs all voices available to call for reason and tolerance and to plea for a more harmonious community that embraces diversity and protects democratic principles.
Throughout history, populists worldwide loved to refer to great times of an undefined past. So does Trump, but the "Again" in the MAGA slogan has to my knowledge, never been defined as a specific period to return to.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Planet to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.