“He has Trump’s faith and Trump believes he has even stronger control over McCarthy now,” a close associate of the former president told CNN.
You see, the key to understanding what Trump does – or does not do – is this: Everything is purely transactional.
Trump does not work on a moral scale. He is completely guided in his daily decision-making by what he considers to be good for him. People – and relationships – are merely a means to an end.
Which brings us back to McCarthy – and Trump’s judgment that the leader of the House GOP’s worth more to him politically alive than politically dead.
Trump knows that if he unleashed his anger on McCarthy for saying one thing in public and another in private, he could almost certainly end the California Republican’s ambition to become speaker.
And most importantly, Trump knows McCarthy knows that too. As in: McCarthy knows full well that a simple thumbs up for Trump could end it all for him.
That fact must be taken into account. ” McCarthy owes his political future – or even the possibility of having a future – to Trump. And Trump will ensure that McCarthy will never, ever forget.
The point: Always remember that Trump sees everyone – EVERYONE – as a pawn he must play to benefit him. McCarthy just gave him an invitation to do just that.
