It’s not over yet!

He lost the elections, even though he doesn’t want to see them. What will happen to Donald Trump, who has been elected president of the United States? There are already initial ideas.

Of course, he doesn’t resign as a statesman. He railed against the fraud, demanded that the last counts still in progress be stopped here and new counts there. He sues on Twitter as well as in court.

That Donald Trump whispers of fraud when he loses is nothing new. Already in 2016 he was complaining about the few internal primaries of the party he had lost. Or in previous years, when, as a reality star, he missed out on Emmy awards. Trump likes a Democratic vote only if he wins in the end.

But now it is clear that he lost the election, although he still tries in many ways to influence the count. Donald Trump’s move can be seen as an attempt to stay in power. Or like his way of tarnishing and cushioning defeat and maneuvering himself into a heart-winning position in his parallel society that he has raised for himself. Because Trump was voted out, but far from over.

Four years in the rotation cycle

As president, he has put his nation on the back burner for four years: scandals every week, tantrums every morning on Twitter. The Russia and Ukraine affair, the separation of hundreds of small children on the southern border, a rapidly evolving carousel of personnel and an impeachment proceeding. Trump has been a master of attracting the attention of the United States and the world and has remained an entertainer even as president.

It started with a big promise: “Make America Great Again”. He sealed off the country against immigration and withdrew the United States from international agreements. After four years he didn’t really know if he had fulfilled it or at least could affirm it.

First he wanted to signal the execution with the slogan of the campaign “Keep America Great”. Then came Corona and a violent economic crisis, as well as a mass protest against deeply rooted racism in the country. Eventually, Trump promised once again that America should first be made “great again”.

Trump First

Trump never wanted to be president of all Americans and reported everything to himself. He also saw the Corona crisis primarily as a PR problem. He showed no interest in powerful crisis management and thus helped to make the United States go through such a difficult time. In the final weeks of the election campaign, he then pretended that the economic activities of Joe Biden’s son were more important to the country than the economic and climate crisis combined.

He wanted to win the 2020 election just like the 2016 election by labeling his counterpart corrupt. But Joe Biden wasn’t Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump was no longer the exciting outsider, but the incumbent in a year of crisis. His base got drunk, but too many swinging voters turned their backs.

He also had the official bonus on his side. Americans rarely vote for their presidents after a term. He used the White House as the backdrop for the party conference and campaign appearances, and the presidential Air Force One aircraft as the backdrop at dozens of airports. The show was good. But it couldn’t be a permanent distraction.

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Trump himself suspected it and put it this way on a show in Pennsylvania: “Before the plague came, I had this thing in my pocket.”

70 million Americans

It wasn’t a great defeat. Trump was stronger again than in the polls. Turnout has skyrocketed and Donald Trump got eight million more votes in 2020 than in 2016. 70 million Americans voted for him. This strengthens its post-presidency position.

Trump has a devoted following in whose world he continues to be the hero. They will continue to show him their affection and attention. This offers great opportunities for Trump, who is always looking for attention: in the transition phase and after.

Trump supporters protest outside a polling station in Phoenix: loyal supporters. (Source: Reuters)

Before the 2016 election, in which he was already expecting defeat, he thought aloud to start his own television empire. A first idea for the name was already available: “Trump TV”. Four years later, this is another tempting option for the showman.

However, Trump is unhappy with his “Fox News” channel. While influential opinion leaders were at his side in the evening shows, the Trump editorial staff reported too independently – even on the outcome of the elections.

Option 2024

Some of his advisers also expect Trump to immediately declare his intention to run again in the 2024 election. He would then be 78 years old. Whether he really wants to go through an election campaign again is a secondary issue. The declaration of his candidacy alone allows him to do two things: he could continue to hold his beloved demonstrations and collect donations for the campaign.

One question that remains to be answered is how the major Republican politicians behave towards him. At the moment, many are still giving him some time to contest his election. Do you remain devoted to him?

The private citizen Trump can expect numerous unpleasant things, from which he has been protected thanks to immunity as president: several investigations are underway into tax evasion or violation of electoral funding and claims by his creditors such as Deutsche Bank.

Donald J. Trump’s personal fate is therefore less clear than that of his political genre. Populism, which revolves around the identity of white Americans, has the Republican Party firmly in its grip right now. Four years of Trump have pushed the boundaries of what can be said in the political system.

Nobody knows what Trump’s last chapter as president and first as a former president will be like, probably not even himself. The Trump method, however, this is certain, will remain in America.