The week
2 lawyers, Stephen Miller apparently wrote Trump’s post-impeachment ‘peace in our country’ speech
After President Trump was impeached a second time, the White House posted a video on Wednesday night of the president “unequivocally” condemning “violence and vandalism” on the United States Capitol last week and urging his supporters to “relieve tensions, calm tempers and help promote peace in our country. “Aides say the video was partly the result of” Trump’s perception of the catastrophic consequences of the deadly siege, “reports The New York Times, and” the advisors most involved in the language of the video “were White House adviser Pat Cipollone, deputy adviser Pat Philbin and Stephen Miller, Trump’s chief speechwriter. Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, aide Dan Scavino and Vice President Mike Pence “persuaded Trump to film the video, saying it could increase support among weak Republicans,” reports The Washington Post. “Even after it was recorded and published,” adds the Times, “Trump still needed to be reassured.” Unlike Trump’s latest impeachment, the White House made no noticeable effort to defend Trump on Wednesday, and has no apparent strategy for its Senate attempts. Rudy Giuliani “is yet to play a role in defending Trump’s impeachment, but has been left out of most conversations so far,” reports CNN, adding that “advisers were unclear” if Trump is serious about not paying Giuliani for his job trying to overturn the election, “since he is attacking almost everyone after the day’s events.” But “Cipollone, who was instrumental in defending the president in his first impeachment a year ago, told other officials to ensure that it was rumored that he was not involved in Trump’s defense this time,” reports the Post, citing a advisor. Trump’s isolation “is the logical conclusion of someone who will only accept people in their inner orbit if they are willing to burn down completely on his behalf, and you have just reached a point where everyone is exhausted,” an official veteran of the administration told the Post. “Everyone is thinking, ‘I’m going to put myself on fire for the President of the United States for this, for this and for this – but I’m not doing this for this.'” Maybe that feeling “I would do anything for Trump – but I won’t do it that “explains why Ivanka Trump tagged Meat Loaf in a recent selfie of her and her father. > Let’s go to Georgia with Dad! Get out and VOTE in Georgia !!! pic.twitter.com/zm7Zk6l6wo >> – Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) January 4, 2021More stories from theweek.com Do Democrats realize the danger they are in? America’s encounter with reality What it always dealt with in ‘Blue Lives Matter’