In the last 48 hours, the seemingly bulletproof candidate has gone to great lengths to test his political immunity. In the wake of his unfortunate decision to pick a fight with a Gold Star family whose Muslim son died while serving in the US military, the billionaire’s campaign appears to be in freefall.
In the last 24 hours, Trump has committed faux pas’ that would have sunk any other candidate. While Mitt Romney was dragged across the coals for saying he had “binders full of women” during the 2012 election, a tactless comment that, nevertheless, referred to Romney’s attempt to promote diversity, Trump suggested that it’s up to individual women to determine how to deal with sexual harassment.
In comments that threaten both the US economy and the democratic process as a whole, Trump suggested that Americans should avoid the stock market and has repeatedly suggested that the November election will be "rigged."
On Tuesday, Trump booted a mother with a crying baby from his campaign event, and boasted of receiving of receiving a Purple Heart, the nation’s highest military honor, from a veteran, saying "I always wanted to get the Purple Heart. This was much easier."
According to reporter John Harwood, sources within the Trump campaign report that chairman Paul Manafort is no longer challenging Trump’s more bizarre strategies, and the staff is "suicidal."
And, to top it off, the billionaire now sitting at the top of the Republican Party has refused to endorse other party members for seemingly petty, personal reasons. He failed to promote Arizona Senator John McCain, New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, and current Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.
In response, Trump’s running mate Mike Pence ran damage control, stressing that "I talked to Donald Trump this morning…He encouraged me to endorse Paul Ryan in next Tuesday’s primary. And I am pleased to do it."
Nevertheless, a number of high-ranking Republicans, including sitting Congressman Richard Hanna, have publicly stated plans to not only not support Trump, but to actively support Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
Taken together, these unusual developments have taken a toll on elites. Reince Preibus, chairperson of the Republican National Committee, is reportedly "apoplectic" over Trump’s refusal to endorse, and a number of insiders are evidently staging an intervention to get the billionaire’s campaign back on track.
Preibus, along with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, plan to enlist the help of Trump’s children to help reign in their father, according to sources speaking to NBC News.
Manafort has denied that such a meeting is necessary, telling Fox News that “the only need we have for an intervention is with some media types who keep saying things that aren’t true.
"The candidate’s in control of his own campaign," he added.
Some Republicans have even begun considering what would happen if Trump were to drop out of the race altogether. Despite a rough couple of days, this scenario seems very unlikely given the billionaire’s boastful tendencies.
