When the Kids are the Henchmen

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On the weirdness of Trump using his kids to do his political dirty work.

by AMANDA CARPENTER MAY 22, 2020

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Most campaigns outsource the nasty work of attacking their opponents to operatives who keep a low profile to maintain distance from the candidate. Even in 2016, Trump kept most of his smear merchants, such as the now-convicted felon Roger Stone, behind the scenes. But 2020 is different. This time, President Trump’s adult children have rolled up their sleeves and are taking on their father’s dirtiest work.

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On one level, it’s worth wondering why the Trump progeny, with all their wealth and privilege, are willing to throw themselves in the gutter on behalf of their father. But, there’s not enough time in the world to psychoanalyze the dysfunction that has led Trump to put his kids in these roles and for the kids to accept them. Let’s just agree it’s highly abnormal. Most candidates would do anything to protect their children from the perils of campaigning.

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In the end, people who are uncomfortable treating the president’s children the same way they would any other campaign operative wind up trying to rationalize the Trumps’ behavior. They pretend the offensive statements blasted out of Don Jr.’s Twitter account are part of his act. They nod along when he says he’s “just joking” about calling Biden a pedophile, saying Kamala Harris isn’t authentically black, or comparing Syrian refugees to a bowl of Skittles. Don Jr. gets treated not like Mike Cernovich with some money, but like an edgy, stealth, right-wing superweapon.

They say Ivanka probably doesn’t even understand what the “red pill” meme means—that she’s likely trying to appeal to Elon Musk’s Twitter followers. They say that poor Eric is just the “dumb one” who takes his cues from the other two.

Because confronting the truth about this family and what they do to themselves, to others, and to our political system is too depressing.

https://thebulwark.com/when-the-kids-are-the-henchmen/

[empedocles]

1. Isn't that how gangsters 'normally' develop and train their young?