Well, we suppose nothing else will be normal about the Thanksgiving of 2020, so why should the president’s celebration be any different?
Yes, it seems the Donald Trump and family have decided to break with tradition this year by canceling their annual Thanksgiving event at Mar-a-Lago.
Word came late Tuesday via a tweet from First Lady Melania Trump’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham.
“Holiday Scheduling Update: The @POTUS & @flotus will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday at the @WhiteHouse this year,” she tweeted.
Grisham added American flag and turkey emojis, presumably in an effort to make the last-minute schedule change seem less weird.
Now, it’s likely that White House officials will attempt to pass this off as a coronavirus precaution, but let’s be real:
If the president had actually emerged victorious from the 2020 election, as he claims he has, he would shaking hands and kissing babies all day in Palm Beach.
Instead, we’re seeing what aides call a “bunker mentality,” in which the president holes up in the West Wing of the White House and … awaits an election result he actually likes?
Something tells us he hasn’t gotten as far as phase two of his plan, but make no mistake — Donald Trump has not given up in his effort to retain power.
“He is more dug into his position than he was at the beginning,” an aide tells the Washington Post.
“He thinks this is his base for 2024, and that half the country are warriors fighting for him, and that he’s got to keep fighting.”
Yes, insiders say Trump is planning to run again in 2024, but that’s only if he’s forced to hand over the keys to the White House in 2021.
At this point, the president has not yet conceded the election to Joe Biden, and it doesn’t appear that he’s planning to do so anytime soon.
Trump’s failed attempt to invalidate election results in Michigan and his dismissal of top security personnel who are not supporting his efforts at a coup serve to remind us that in the president’s mind, the fight is not yet over.
This week, we’ve seen Trump supporters declare war on Fox News and other outlets that have called the election for Biden.
Top officials in the Trump White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, say they’re still preparing for the president’s second term in the White House.
From a strategic standpoint, the smartest thing for Trump to do would probably be to put in his usual appearance at Mar-a-Laho and glad-hand with his supporters as though nothing is wrong.
But perhaps he’s trying to create the impression that he’s currently gearing up for the legal battle of a lifetime.
Or maybe he’s afraid that he’ll break down and admit that he “doesn’t have a lot to be thankful for this year” like a sullen goth teen forced to say grace.
It’s a shame, really, as such a scene would make this whole ridiculous refusal to concede 100 percent worth it.