March 19, 2023

I Am Donald Trump’s Only Hope

The former president wants supporters to protest the Manhattan DA’s investigation. House Republicans just want me to donate $24.

Donald Trump and Rep. Kevin McCarthy in 2020Alex Brandon/AP

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When Donald Trump announced that he expects to be arrested on Tuesday, he called on supporters to take to the streets. “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” he wrote. Trump’s rhetoric spurred the Manhattan district attorney—who is reportedly conducting a criminal investigation of the former president—to promise security measures. It’s still unclear what any such MAGA mobilization might look like, and at least some on the right seem to be discouraging demonstrations.

But it turns out there’s an easier way to fight back against the “radical Soros-backed” prosecutor tormenting Trump: You can just send $24 to House Republicans, instead.

“BREAKING NEWS: President Trump Indicted?!” warned an email sent last night by the National Republican Congressional Committee, the GOP’s main campaign arm for the US House. “You’re our country’s ONLY hope.”

“Make no mistake – the Radical Left is trying to use this latest witch hunt to intimidate you,” the missive continued. “We need every single patriot to immediately condemn this witch hunt.”

When I clicked the link to sign, it took me directly to a donation page, complete with the infamous pre-checked “monthly recurring donation” box. The potential prosecution of the most recent GOP president, it seems, is as good an opportunity as any to bag some grassroots campaign contributions.

I didn’t donate, but the NRCC tried again this morning. “This is the most important email we’ve EVER sent you,” the Republicans declared. “Backing down now means conceding our country to the Radical Left FOREVER.”

Once again, the NRCC’s ask was simple. No demands for a peaceful protest. No calls for a violent riot. Just an urgent request to save the country by chipping in $24.

But once again, I failed to do my part.

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AN IMPORTANT UPDATE

We’re falling behind our online fundraising goals and we can’t sustain coming up short on donations month after month. Perhaps you’ve heard? It is impossibly hard in the news business right now, with layoffs intensifying and fancy new startups and funding going kaput.

The crisis facing journalism and democracy isn’t going away anytime soon. And neither is Mother Jones, our readers, or our unique way of doing in-depth reporting that exists to bring about change.

Which is exactly why, despite the challenges we face, we just took a big gulp and joined forces with the Center for Investigative Reporting, a team of ace journalists who create the amazing podcast and public radio show Reveal.

If you can part with even just a few bucks, please help us pick up the pace of donations. We simply can’t afford to keep falling behind on our fundraising targets month after month.

Editor-in-Chief Clara Jeffery said it well to our team recently, and that team 100 percent includes readers like you who make it all possible: “This is a year to prove that we can pull off this merger, grow our audiences and impact, attract more funding and keep growing. More broadly, it’s a year when the very future of both journalism and democracy is on the line. We have to go for every important story, every reader/listener/viewer, and leave it all on the field. I’m very proud of all the hard work that’s gotten us to this moment, and confident that we can meet it.”

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