Takeover of power

Now Trump wants total control

(Bild: AFP)

Donald Trump doesn't just want to become President of the USA. No, he wants total control over the pillars of US democracy. The imminent resignation of Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell plays into his hands. But there is resistance. 

The House of Representatives already acts as his extended arm, the conservative Supreme Court majority includes three judges appointed by him and the national committee of the Republican Party is now led by a close confidant and his daughter-in-law Lara. If he defeats Joe Biden in November, Donald Trump only needs to take over the MAGA movement via the Senate to have total control. So it's no wonder that, following the announced resignation of Senate leader Mitch McConnell, his camp is doing everything it can to ensure that his successor is 100 percent loyal to Trump.

Mitch McConnell will resign as Senate leader.

(Bild: AP)

McConnell has just announced that he will support the former president in his election campaign against Biden - which surprised many in the country. After all, the 82-year-old had repeatedly resisted Trump's demands and political policies in the past. After the last election in 2020, the two most powerful Republican men had not spoken to each other for over three years. Especially since Trump had also racially insulted McConnell's wife Elaine Chao, who was Secretary of Transportation in his cabinet.

The Trump faction in the Senate is determined to prevent one of McConnell's two preferred successors from prevailing in the intra-party vote. Both Senators John Thune (South Dakota) and John Cornyn (Texas) have incurred Trump's wrath a few times in the past. Tommy Tuberville, a loyal senator from Alabama, openly blurted out the MAGA takeover plans in an interview with "NewsMax": "Our new Senate leader needs to be a cheerleader for Trump and ensure his victory. He needs to fire up our base and tour the country on a plane with President Trump."

The Capitol, symbol of US democracy

(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The problem, however, is that a good half of the Republican senators are not fans of Trump and want to keep a healthy distance from him. Many are angry that Trump called on his parliamentary group to torpedo the adoption of a new aid package for Ukraine last month. Trump's arch-enemy Mitt Romney is certain that most of his Republican colleagues would secretly wish for a different presidential candidate - "but support Trump out of political self-preservation".

Both Thune and Cornyn have been part of the Senate leadership for decades, are popular and would normally be favored for the post of Majority Leader. But Trump is insisting that Senator Steve Daines from Montana succeed McConnell. The only problem is that he has not yet been able to bring himself to become a pawn in an intra-party war.

Trump's fans will forgive him pretty much anything.

(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/WIN MCNAMEE)

Meanwhile, Thune is trying to smooth the waters with Trump. Not only did he promise him his support in the election campaign, he also reminded the ex-president that he had helped him push through his political wish list, such as tax cuts, during his first term in office. Nevertheless, insiders believe that the resentful Trump will insist on "his own" Senate leader - because Thune had publicly spoken out against overturning the election result in 2021. Cornyn ended up on Trump's blacklist when he announced last year that his time was up.

Alongside Cornyn and Thune, another 25 Republican senators are seen as the last bulwark of Ronald Reagan's party against the complete right-wing populist takeover. However, a Senate leader from the Trump camp would destroy this once and for all. Mitt Romney, who will retire from politics at the end of his term in 2026, is already counting on this: "I already have no home in my own party."