Trump’s Dramatic Ploy: Playing the Victim Card on ‘Election Interference’

Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, has made numerous allegations of election interference during his time in office and ongoing. His assumptions have evoked a broad range of reactions from critics and supporters alike. While followers see it as a stark stand against the system’s injustices, others denote it as Trump’s transparent attempt to play the victim on ‘election interference.’ The methodology President Trump employs isn’t novel, particularly in our current political climate. However, it’s the context and scale of his allegations that set them apart and grant them immense importance. Trump’s allegations are amplified due to his global position, fuelling divisive discourse, exacerbating the seeds of doubt in democratic processes and potentially chipping at the robustness of institutional trust. We can trace Trump’s consistent allegations of election interference back to the 2016 presidential race against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. He proclaimed the election process as ‘rigged.’ Post his surprising victory, he continued to maintain this narrative despite the lack of tangible evidence. Simultaneously, allegations were laid against his campaign for purported collusion with Russia to impact election outcomes. Fast forward to the 2020 election cycle; Trump’s narration of victimhood continued unabated. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, the move towards mail-in voting was seen as necessary considering public health and safety. President Trump, however, consistently discredited mail-in voting as dangerously susceptible to fraud. It was a strategic move to sow seeds of doubt before the election, further enabling him to contest the results if they did not favor him. True to his word, when Joe Biden was announced the president-elect, Trump refused to concede defeat, claiming election fraud, despite no credible evidence of systemic voter irregularities or misconduct. Interestingly, his narrative seemed to be dually focussed – to create a base setting for contesting the election results and simultaneously paint himself as a victim of a broader, shadowy scheme against him. Trump’s allegations of election interference have been hauled over the coals by legal and constitutional experts. Various courts, including the Supreme Court, rejected his legal challenges due to lack of evidence. But his continued insistence on fraudulent elections undermines the American political establishment’s credibility, and tarnishes the democratic processes in place. Further to this, Trump’s behavior fuels a cycle of distrust and disillusionment with politics amongst the public. The danger lies not only in the immediate crisis of managing baseless claims and legal challenges, but in the residual doubt that may linger long after he vacates the office, potentially eroding democratic resilience. Trump’s audacity to repeatedly play the victim is a strategic move that caters to his die-hard supporters, ignites controversy and energizes conspiracy theories. It paints an alarming picture of a leader more intent on personal gain and power preservation than upholding the traditions and impactful democratic processes that the United States prides itself on. Despite the claims being dismissed by many, these repeated assertions continue to fuel division and cynicism, posing an enduring challenge for the nation’s democracy. In portraying himself as a victim of election interference, Trump effectively creates an alternate narrative that not only challenges the enforced norms but seeks to re-write the script in his favor. Whether one views this as a stark unveiling of systemic flaws or a blatant play for victimhood, it’s undeniable that Trump’s accusations of election interference have had a monumental impact on American politics and its perception domestically and internationally.