Editorial: Guilty verdicts take the shine off Donald Trump’s aura of invincibility

Former president Donald Trump, and many of his followers, imagined he was invincible when it came to rules by which mere mortals must abide. Their outrage speaks to a collective belief that had taken hold, as if his “base” had conjured up some charm that made him immune to the courts and the consequences that come with them.

Trump has assumed a messianic aura, above the boundaries of right or wrong, out way beyond the reach of the long arm of the law.

Some of that enchantment has at least been knocked off by guilty verdicts on 34 felony counts.

Evidence, it seems, still matters. So, too, does truth and integrity. But Trump, the vast majority of Republicans and the entirety of the MAGA camp will fervently hope that this intrusion of reality will be short-lived. And they could be correct. For if anything, most Republicans believe the guilty verdicts can unify their party to rally behind their candidate ahead of November’s presidential election.

Trump is confidently expecting his campaign to even benefit from increased fundraising. Indeed, the most recent ABC News/Ipsos poll before the jury’s announcement, found that only 4pc of his supporters would withdraw their support were he convicted, 16pc said they would reconsider. These figures, though not substantial, could still be significant in what is anticipated to be an extremely tight White House race.

If the verdict was reassuring, the former president’s denouncement of it was disturbing.

Attacking it as a “rigged, disgraceful trial” and groundlessly accusing the judge of being corrupt, Trump assailed the Biden administration for its “witch-hunt”.

The diatribe grew darker as he claimed America’s borders were being breached by hordes of rapists, the mentally ill and terrorists. No evidence to support any of these claims was offered. Depressingly, none may be required, if the unquestioning loyalty to Trump persists within the Republican party.

The real verdict, he said, will be given by the people when they vote in November. For the sake of democracy we must hope so. But given the lengths to which he went to overturn the last election, it’s hard to believe he has rediscovered a respect for the democratic process. Especially given his adherence to the lie that the 2020 election was stolen.

Though Republicans and Trump may dismiss the verdict, its significance can not be downplayed. He will be the first criminal candidate in history to compete for the most powerful job in the world.

All his great wealth and privilege could not shield him from the judgment of 12 ordinary men and women.

Ironically, with his ranting about the whole system being stacked against him, he is also drawing attention to the fact that the law does not make exemptions. Not even for him.