In the weeks surrounding the first indictment of Donald Trump in Manhattan, any political repercussion seemed mild. It would be fair to argue that he was even helped by the indictment, in part because he called on the darkest, most conspiracy-laden — and yes, racist — elements of his base to go after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. But this case is different. And the politics could be harder for Trump, for three reasons: It will be harder to paint Jack Smith as a partisan hack; the national security implications of the case are clear, and sobering; and several Republicans have already signaled their desire to take the indictment's allegations seriously. So, will Republican leaders acknowledge the serious reality of this situation and break with their disgraced former stander bearer? Or will they continue to hide in fear of the MAGA empire. Read more exclusive insights from Jen Psaki here. And tune in to "Inside with Jen Psaki," on Sundays at 12 p.m. ET on MSNBC, plus catch new, original episodes every Thursday exclusively on Peacock. |
