He’s at it again! Like a stock character out of a B movie, Donald Trump is again using the language usually reserved for the likes of Edward G. Robinson or Marlon Brando. This time he is calling the whistleblower a spy, and intimated that they deserve the death penalty.
His echo chamber at Fox, commentator Geraldo Rivera called the whistleblower “a snitch”.
This is not the language of diplomacy. These are not the words of politicians. These are mob tactics.
John Gotti was known as “The Teflon Don” for his ability to escape prosecution despite being implicated in a myriad of illegal activities. The same could be said of Donald Trump. Once used to describe Ronald Reagan, the term “The Teflon President”certainly fits Trump, as he avoids scandal after scandal associated with his presidency.
He uses the bullying and intimidation tactics associated with mob bosses. Instead of leg breaking and murder, Trump’s favorite tactics are arm twisting and legal chicanery. His contracts and “hits” are the numerous lawsuits he uses to wear down those who oppose him, and when that doesn’t work, he simply uses his immense wealth, or the illusion thereof , to buy the silence of those who would do him harm.
Like a mob boss, he uses coded language to avoid being held responsible. This was evident during Congressional testimony by Attorney General William Barr, who was able to evade answering if he was “ordered” to commit certain acts because he wasn’t directly told to do so, but instead relied on this type of innuendo to avoid directly implicating the White House.
Also, like mob bosses, Trump uses subordinates to carry out his dirty work. Also like a mob boss, he is quick to turn on them when they are implicated in wrongdoing. Despite this, he prizes loyalty above all else, much like Omertà , the loyalty oath of the Mafia.
Take heart. Gotti was finally held accountable for his lifetime of crimes and died in prison. Could a phone call be the thing that finally brings down Donald Trump, or will he dodge another bullet?