The NY Times can’t stop telling us how much Trump’s indictments are helping him—but they are very wrong.

Why is the NYT helping Trump?!

On Sunday, The NY Times published a front page article titled, “How Trump Benefits From an Indictment Effect.” As the Times wrote, “Donors sent checks. Fox News changed its tune. The party apparatus rushed to defend Mr. Trump. And the polls went up — and up.”

This is not the first time the NY Times has told us that Trump’s indictments will help him. In April, the NY Times’ Peter Baker penned an article, “Trump Flourishes in the Glare of His Indictment.” Baker wrote, “while no one wants to be indicted, Mr. Trump in one sense finds himself exactly where he loves to be — in the center ring of the circus, with all the spotlights on him.”

You have to be kidding me?!!

To be fair, though, the NY Times isn’t the only mainstream media outlet to repeat this. However, by doing so they have created the exact narrative Trump wants that he’s the only person in the history of the United States to benefit from being indicted for 78 felonies.  In fact, the NY Times article on Sunday actually undermines its own thesis at times.

Now, the truth is the NY Times is correct in noting Trump has seen a spike in GOP support since he was indicted back in April—which of course says so much about how dangerous the GOP base is. But what they seem to be missing is that Trump is not running simply be King of the GOP base. He needs to win in the general election in November 2024 yet both polls—and reality--are telling us these indictments are likely going to be a gaggle of albatrosses around his neck.

Trump is now facing 78 felonies including for attempting to overturning the 2020 election, 32 counts of violating the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice and more.  In fact, Trump’s trial for attempting to overturn the 2020 election may be starting in early 2024, if Special Counsel Jack Smith has his way. Trump’s counsel has not responded to Smith’s request to begin this trial on January 2, 2024, but we know from Trump’s classified documents case they would like to delay the trial date as long as possible.

However, Judge Tanya Chutkan--who is presiding over this case and expected to announce on Aug 28 the trial date-- made it clear during the oral arguments Friday over a protective order that she intended to move this case forward without regard to the political calendar.  As the judge stated, “The fact that [Trump] he is running a political campaign currently has to yield to the administration of justice.” 

That means there’s a very real chance Trump could not only be tried but even be convicted felon by mid-2024. Will the NY Times then run articles about how being a convicted felon only makes Trump stronger?! Followed by articles on how Trump sitting in a prison cell means he finally has Joe Biden exactly where he wants him!

Here is the reality. Trump’s legal woes are having a very real impact on his campaign funds—which are a finite resource—as he’s hemorrhaging money to pay his lawyers. Trump’s Save America PAC—which  had more than $100 million at the beginning 2022—per the most recent filing in late July now has only about $3.6 million in cash on hand. This PAC has become the primary vehicle to pay millions of dollars in Trump’s legal bills—and together with five other Trump committees--have spent more than $40 million in legal fees since the start of 2021. This explains why Saturday, Trump was lashing out the “vast” legal fees he has spent—which he claims is the fault of the “lunatic left.”

Trump’s indictments have also cost him funds in another unexpected way. He recently began running ads attacking the prosecutors who are investigating and prosecuting him. (Have you ever seen a defendant run ads smearing the prosecutors with lies?! This is how dangerous Trump is.) That is money he could’ve spent on ads attacking his fellow Republican vying for the 2024 nomination or even criticizing President Biden--but instead the money is spent to address his felony indictments.

Adding to Trump’s financial challenges--as the NY Times article notes-- Trump’s “bump” in fundraising caused by his indictments had dropped bigly. When Trump was first indicted in April by a Manhattan grand jury for 34 felonies, his campaign saw a massive spike in daily donations in area of $4 million dollars. However, after Trump’s next two indictments, the spike in fundraising was barely a quarter of what it was back in March.

Then there are polls of voters beyond the GOP base that raise big, waving red flags for Trump in the general. A recent ABC News poll conducted afar Trump’s Jan 6 related indictment was announced found that nearly 2/3’s of Americans believe these charges are “serious.” The poll also found that a majority of Americans -52 percent-agree Trump should’ve been charged with these crimes including a majority of independent voters. Only 32 percent of American believe he should not have been charged—overwhelmingly those are in the GOP base.  

And while there’s no disputing Trump has seen his lead in the race to be the GOP’s 2024 presidential nominee jump since the indictment, there’s been no similar spike in general election polls. For example, a Quinnipiac poll taken in mid-March shortly before Trump’s first indictment found Biden leading him by 2 points.  Well, Quinnipiac’s latest poll in mid-July now finds Biden with a five-point lead over Trump.

Despite these facts, on Sunday there is the NY Times peddling Trump’s dream article that he is better positioned to win in 2024 now that he has been indicted in three different jurisdictions?!

Taking a step back, given our polarized electorate, the 2024 presidential election will be close regardless who is the GOP nominee versus President Biden. But with Trump being indicted for 78 crimes—as well as possibly more--the Trump indictment sugar high in the GOP primary is going to come crashing down in the general election. And so it should. No one who has like Trump engaged in a concerted effort to overturn a U.S. election should ever be allowed in the White House again.

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