Cracks in Trump’s wall

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When Donald Trump zigged, his devoted followers said he was negotiating. When Trump flipped, Trumpers said to read “The Art of the Deal,” and you’ll understand. When Trump juked, the Trump crowd said he’s playing 4D chess.

But Trump’s latest jink — the one on amnesty and building a wall — may be a bridge too far for much if not most of the Trump base. It may have put a significant crack in Trump’s wall of supporting “deplorables.”

Trump’s tweets about not sending back DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) “kids” (many of whom are grown and serving in the military and holding jobs, as Trump asserted) and his meeting with Senator Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to work on immigration reform has set off a firestorm in the Trump base. Some of Trump’s more ardent supporters from the grassroots to so-called conservative pundits are expressing their outrage at what they see as a betrayal of Trump’s signature issue: a wall on the Mexican border and no amnesty for illegals.

But Trump seems to have a soft heart for the kids, tweeting:

“We’re looking at allowing people to stay here,” Trump said to reporters in Florida on Thursday.

“We’re not looking at citizenship, we’re not looking at amnesty,” Trump said.

But later on Air Force One, a White House flack said that “legal citizenship over a period of time” for DACA recipients would likely be part of the deal.

No matter how you slice it, that sounds a lot like amnesty, even if Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters on Thursday used tortured logic to try and walk back any amnesty talk. Here’s what she said, courtesy of HotAir.com:

The President has been clear in the past that there will be no amnesty. The Trump administration will not be discussing amnesty. What the Trump administration will discuss is a responsible path forward in immigration reform. That could include legal citizenship over a period of time. But absolutely by no means will this White House discuss amnesty, and the President has made it clear how he feels about no amnesty.

Reporters asked for a definition of amnesty. She responded:

I’m not going to sit here and litigate what the definition of amnesty is. What I will tell you is the President has made it clear that he does not support amnesty. I think I was clear when I said that.

Another asked for clarification, saying, “You weren’t clear. You said he could support a path forward to citizenship. That is the definition of amnesty to many, many Republicans, especially in the House.” Walters’ response :

Again, I’m not going to sit here and litigate what the definition of amnesty is. What I will tell you is right now Congress needs to focus on getting real immigration reform to move forward so that there is a legal path forward instead of right now. DACA was illegal. The President took the responsible action, and now this is in the hands of Congress to put something on the President’s desk.

Breitbart reports that people who have lost loved ones to violence perpetrated by illegals are expressing dismay, hurt and anger that Trump might be turning his back on them. Many of them are like Sabine Durden, who campaigned for Trump based on his promise to build a wall and deport illegals, and who called it “a betrayal of the worst kind.”

“I dealt with death threats, nasty and hurtful messages and losing some family members and friends over my support for President Trump, and I didn’t mind, again, because I believed in the bigger picture of a more secure America” she told Breitbart. “I believed that he would keep the promises he made personally to many of us who lost loved ones because of illegals/’Dreamers’ and the promises he made to America.”

The perceived betrayal is so bad that even Trump’s most outspoken follower in the pundit class, Ann Coulter, has turn on him.

And Twitter is alive with photos of Trumpers burning and defacing their Make America Great Again hats and shirts.

Trump has already betrayed his base on foreign wars and Obamcare repeal with his “negotiation, “Art of the Deal” and “4D chess.” If he betrays his base with amnesty and fails on the wall he will get trounced in 2020. That is his signature campaign promise.

But while his wall of support may be cracking. He hasn’t yet lost every supporter.

The cult of Trump is still alive.

Personal Liberty

Jay Baker

has been editorial director of Personal Liberty® and The Bob Livingston Letter™ since 2008. He previously worked as a reporter and editor for several newspapers — including Alabama’s largest daily, The Birmingham News — and as editor of a business magazine. Jay also served stints as marketing and public relations director in the healthcare, banking and construction industries. This experience makes him especially adept at digging through the lies, doublespeak and folderol emanating from places of power.