We are closer than ever to a criminal prosecution of Donald Trump. That will be a massive test for America.
The Department of Justice is now formally investigating Donald Trump for serious possible, crimes including violating the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice in connection to his unlawful possession of top secret and highly classified materials.
During a court-ordered search of his Mar-a-Lago resort and home last week, the FBI retrieved 11 sets of classified documents that, according to some reports, may include information about “nuclear weapons.” Donald Trump had more than a year to return these documents and did not do so. One of his attorneys apparently misrepresented the facts when informing the Justice Department that all the classified documents in Donald Trump’s possession had been returned in June.
This is the first time in American history that a former president has been under criminal investigation, let alone for serious federal crimes. That is to be expected, given that Trump represents a unique and singular danger to American democracy and society.
Predictably, Trump has made numerous false or misleading statements about the FBI investigation, claiming that he is innocent, that evidence was “planted” to incriminate him, that his home was “raided” and “under siege” by the FBI and that he is being victimized as part of a “conspiracy” by the “deep state” and other sinister forces who are desperate to stop his return to power.
Will Donald Trump finally face something approximating justice for his five decades or more of apparent and aggressive lawlessness, culminating in a criminal presidency and an attempted coup, with the possibility of treason and criminal espionage? Will the American people finally be rid of this meddlesome would be tyrant-king with millions of followers, leader of a neofascist movement that is literally threatening to uproot and destroy American democracy? Do these recent events change everything? Nothing? Something in between?
For those of us with public voice on more or less mainstream platforms, there are certain norms and rules one is expected to follow in order to succeed.
Priests in the Church of the Savvy and members of the commentariat are largely expected to assume a “rational” and detached demeanor, and often to channel what media critic Jay Rosen has famously called the “view from nowhere.” A central part of this performance is being resolute in one’s conclusions even if those are demonstrably and repeatedly wrong. One is also expected to tell the target audience what it wants to hear, for the most part, and not to seriously challenge their expectations. The norm is to lead readers or viewers or listeners toward the truth gently instead of presenting it to them plainly and clearly.
In the digital age there is also significant pressure to produce more “content” more quickly, to be fast and first with the “hot take” and not to appear uncertain.
