"But Donald Trump? He attempted a coup in January of 2021 and then spent more than a year hiding stolen classified documents from the federal government."
That, plus the outrageous obstruction, are crimes for which he'll probably never pay. But are there likely worse crimes that have yet to be uncovered. Why steal those documents in the first place, then resist returning them? To wallpaper his bathroom? Something boring to read when he has insomnia? I think not. This is the 2020s, not the 1920s, and technology exists to make and send electronic copies very easily. Unfortunately there's also technology to cover it up. Also, this is not a case of one old man lugging around boxes. He had, and still has, more help than you can imagine, to do the grunt work as well as the high-tech stuff. There's no evidence yet, but I'd bet the national debt that has Putin has copies some of those documents. It would be insane if people have not been working overtime to look for that evidence.
Given the reports that Trump had limited interest in security briefings and an even more limited capacity to absorb information -- and little inclination to study anything at all -- it is rather odd that he was so adamant about keeping all those documents as "mementos."
I think part of it is ego: "Look how important I am, to have access to this stuff!" And the refusal to give it back is partly oppositional defiance: "You can't make me!" But there has to be more to it.
He was reported to be especially interested in documents related to the Mueller investigation -- purportedly because he wanted to prove that it was a conspiracy against him. The audio related to the Iran war documents also suggest that he thought the documents could be used against his critics.
Then there's the curious recent case of the Trump plane being parked right next to a Russian embassy plane in a far corner of Dulles.
And the best "conservative" intellectuals somehow don't think there's any reason to wonder WHY he was so intent on keeping those documents that he resisted a subpoena and had underlings playing games of shuffle-the-boxes to hide them.
Agree, especially that the ego thing is only part of it. But even though he is ultimately responsible - morally at least - as the approving "boss," I'm convinced that this was all the work, including the idea in the first place, of many of his protectors, who do have intense interest and knowledge of details. And are even more rabidly anti-American than their "useful idiot." Oh, and I like how you put scare quotes on "conservative." Trump's pathetic defenders are all rabid AUTHORITRIANS, and old style conservatives are among their (and his) fiercest critics.
"But Donald Trump? He attempted a coup in January of 2021 and then spent more than a year hiding stolen classified documents from the federal government."
That, plus the outrageous obstruction, are crimes for which he'll probably never pay. But are there likely worse crimes that have yet to be uncovered. Why steal those documents in the first place, then resist returning them? To wallpaper his bathroom? Something boring to read when he has insomnia? I think not. This is the 2020s, not the 1920s, and technology exists to make and send electronic copies very easily. Unfortunately there's also technology to cover it up. Also, this is not a case of one old man lugging around boxes. He had, and still has, more help than you can imagine, to do the grunt work as well as the high-tech stuff. There's no evidence yet, but I'd bet the national debt that has Putin has copies some of those documents. It would be insane if people have not been working overtime to look for that evidence.
Given the reports that Trump had limited interest in security briefings and an even more limited capacity to absorb information -- and little inclination to study anything at all -- it is rather odd that he was so adamant about keeping all those documents as "mementos."
I think part of it is ego: "Look how important I am, to have access to this stuff!" And the refusal to give it back is partly oppositional defiance: "You can't make me!" But there has to be more to it.
He was reported to be especially interested in documents related to the Mueller investigation -- purportedly because he wanted to prove that it was a conspiracy against him. The audio related to the Iran war documents also suggest that he thought the documents could be used against his critics.
Then there's the curious recent case of the Trump plane being parked right next to a Russian embassy plane in a far corner of Dulles.
And the best "conservative" intellectuals somehow don't think there's any reason to wonder WHY he was so intent on keeping those documents that he resisted a subpoena and had underlings playing games of shuffle-the-boxes to hide them.
Agree, especially that the ego thing is only part of it. But even though he is ultimately responsible - morally at least - as the approving "boss," I'm convinced that this was all the work, including the idea in the first place, of many of his protectors, who do have intense interest and knowledge of details. And are even more rabidly anti-American than their "useful idiot." Oh, and I like how you put scare quotes on "conservative." Trump's pathetic defenders are all rabid AUTHORITRIANS, and old style conservatives are among their (and his) fiercest critics.