Trump’s reluctant goodbye

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

It came out from his mouth. Civilian Donald J. Trump, the former US president said last Jan. 8, 2021 that he will not attend the inauguration of President Joe R. Biden, making him the second departing president to not attend his successor's oath-taking ceremony.
    Since the U.S. presidential election results were counted in favor of Joe Biden last Jan. 6, then President Trump made statements and actions that raised fears among politicians from all sides and observers around the world that he might refuse to relinquish power.
    Prior to his refusal to concede, Trump made claims of voter fraud and filed more than a dozen lawsuits in several key battleground states that were eventually dismissed. Some Republicans raised objections during the counting in congress on January 6, but when the Electoral College votes were formally declared, the opposition did not gain ground.
    Joe Biden got 81,281,891 popular votes with 306 electoral votes against Trump’s 74,223,254 popular votes with 232 electoral votes. Only 270 electoral votes were needed to win the most powerful political post on earth.
    President Biden, along with Vice President Kamala Harris were officially inaugurated 11:48 AM, Wednesday in the US (12:48 AM, Thursday here) on the steps of the US Capitol amid intensified security prompted by the attack on the complex by Trump supporters last January 6. The attack happened while congress was confirming the electoral votes for Biden.
    Trump left the White House early for his home in Florida to avoid Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Apparently, he copied the act of second president John Adams who lost a reelection bid and quietly left Washington, D.C., on an early morning stagecoach to avoid the inauguration of his successor Thomas Jefferson.
    It was an unusual presidential inauguration as this was boycotted by the losing president. Not only did Trump stay away from the oath-taking ceremonies, prior to that he refused to follow protocol by not inviting the president-elect to the White House like what all the past presidents did.
    When Biden was sworn into office, he became the commander-in-chief, while Donald J. Trump became a civilian. If the latter still refused to vacate the White House office, the president who now wields power can order the Secret Service to remove him from the premises.
    Since Trump gained back his civilian status when his term ended on inauguration day, he would be considered a “trespasser” who can be removed physically from the White House, upon orders issued by the commander-in-chief.
    According to reports, Trump was the first president to endure two impeachments, two divorces, six bankruptcies, twenty-six accusations of sexual misconduct, and an estimated 4,000 lawsuits.
    But in the face of all these why doesn’t he concede? Some of his partymates say that he wants to retain his position as the highest elected official of the Republican Party that was why he claimed election fraud.
    Considering that Trump won in his re-election bid, grave legal and financial threats would rise over his second term. That was as far as law enforcement officials in New York were concerned.
    Accordingly, two investigations by powerful state and city law-enforcement officials in New York are following potential criminal charges related to Trump’s business practices before he became President.
    The report said that since their jurisdictions lie outside federal territory, any convictions resulting from the cases filed would be beyond the reach of a Presidential pardon.
    The news report in the US last year claimed that during the next four years, whether Trump was reelected or not, he must meet payment deadlines for more than US$300M in foreign loans that he personally guaranteed.
    A newspaper known for reports on financial and money matters made assessments that about US$900M worth of Trump’s real-estate debt will be due within the next four years. Also, he is tied in a dispute with tax agencies over a deduction that he claimed on his income-tax forms. A bad ruling could cost him an additional US$100M.
    Trump’s net worth is estimated to be US$2.5 Billion. Although, according to another news report, his hotels and resorts were hit hard by the pandemic. In addition, his business deals were affected by a divisive political career.
    Hence, he wanted to retain his position as the highest elected official of the Republican Party because it is the “office of the Presidency that will keep him away from prison.”