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“Most presidential candidates typically fade away after being rejected by voters,” expresses Professor W Joseph Campbell of American University in Washington with a mixture of confusion, disappointment, and a hint of admiration. “However, Trump has not followed this pattern.”

Unfortunately, this is the reality. Even though he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden, Donald Trump is still present despite facing 91 indictments for federal and state crimes such as racketeering, hoarding classified documents, and conspiring to defraud the United States. Despite attempts to prevent him from running again, Trump is expected to be the Republican party’s nominee for the 2024 election. Polls show that he has an advantage over Biden in several crucial states. As noted by presidential historian Lindsay M Chervinsky, there is a possibility that we could have a president serving from prison.

Enter, or rather re-enter, Robert Moore – ITV’s Washington correspondent during Trump’s first term and part of the only television crew to film inside the US Capitol as it was being stormed three years ago and to try to interview the Stop the Steal protesters as they streamed in. Trump: The Return? is an hour-long attempt to divine the future from the present mood of contradictions, competing ideologies, extremes, madnesses and glories that is the US.

We start with a video of Trump on his “Retribution” tour, as it has been aptly named. We see him energizing his devoted followers by comparing “radical left thugs” to pests and individuals who are “corrupting the values of our nation.” He also uses language that is reminiscent of fascism, vowing to rid the land of the brave and free of these elements.

Moore highlights one of Trump’s newfound advantages for the upcoming election. For his staunch supporters, Trump’s indictments and any resulting convictions will only solidify his image as a renegade hero. As a victim of a legal system manipulated by Democrats, he is seen as a champion of the common people. It is a powerful defense. How can one overcome this? How can one restrict the actions of someone who has successfully incorporated all potential countermeasures into their battle narrative? This is precisely what infuriates Trump’s opponents – he may not be a traditional politician, but he and his team are some of the most skilled political strategists in history.

However, he cannot be victorious solely with the support of his Maga-hatted followers – although he may get closer than expected. It is the disappointed and disenfranchised individuals, along with their frustration towards what they perceive as failures of Biden and the Democrats since 2020, that could potentially lead to increased backing for his opponent. Chicago is a point of contention. As a “sanctuary city”, critics argue that its resources are being strained by migrants – whose tent communities are spreading across larger areas of the city. Particularly among lower-income Chicago residents, who are already struggling with a nationwide cost of living crisis, there is a growing sense of deprivation and anger towards the lack of assistance from the White House.

If this is repeated frequently in a nation, as one commentator states, it can lead to an explosive situation. Despite Trump being a person who, according to Miles Taylor (the former chief of staff), desired to establish his own private army similar to Putin’s and is seemingly taking steps to rule the country as a dictatorship, individuals may become desperate enough to resort to destructive measures and see what consequences arise.

Moore expresses his puzzlement at Trump’s continued hold on the Republican party even after the insurrection. However, there are instances where he hints at a potential explanation for this mystery. He describes the “Trump circus” and expresses disbelief at a young Black Trump supporter, without fully engaging with her. His confusion lies in how people can be swayed by Trump, rather than questioning the reasons behind their response.

I am curious – do you, deep down, understand the appeal? The desire to witness what could unfold? Is it not the same primal instinct that draws us to the edge of cliffs? But what if this fascination with extremes and flirtation with destruction was not balanced by the fear of losing everything as a responsible citizen? What if it was accompanied by a rational belief that whatever may occur would not be much worse and could possibly improve things in the short term? Do any of the supporters of Trump or angry residents of Chicago have a valid point? If liberal beliefs and arrogance have contributed to people feeling unheard and powerless, should shows like Moore’s make an extra effort to avoid perpetuating this? No one wants to ignite the explosive situation.

Is Trump making a comeback? Catch it on ITV1 and ITVX!

Source: theguardian.com