Donald Trump turns on everyone, eventually

Fake Vivek!

(Donald Trump)

Happy Iowa Caucus day!

Here’s how Donald Trump is celebrating:

It’s his second, er, Truth in the last 24 hours running down the campaign of Vivek Ramaswamy. Here’s the other one:

The strategy behind this heel turn on Vivek is simple: Trump wants to run up the score in Iowa today. Every vote that goes to Ramaswamy is, in theory, a vote that could go to Trump.

In short: Ramaswamy has outlived his usefulness to Trump. And so Trump throws him over the side. Which is what he does with everyone, always.

Trump is utterly and completely transactional. His willingness to be nice to you is entirely dependent on what he thinks he can get from you. There is no loyalty. No friendship. Just what have you done for him lately.

Ron DeSantis, who, of late, has started to speak some truths about Trump, perfectly encapsulated how Trump treats people during a rally in Iowa over the weekend.

“You can be the most worthless Republican in America, if you kiss the ring, [Trump] will say you are wonderful,” said DeSantis.

Truth!

The arc of Ramaswamy’s courtship of Trump — and the inevitable break — is instructive.

Ramaswamy has, from the start of the campaign, been Trump’s most ardent defender.

“President Trump, I believe, was the best president of the 21st century,” Ramaswamy said in an August debate.

To which Trump responded by declaring that Ramaswamy had won the debate. You scratch my back etc.

That dynamic was still in place late last year when, after another debate in which Ramaswamy lavished praise on Trump, the former president responded in kind. “Vivek WINS because he thinks l’m great,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Then, predictably, Ramawamy used up his usefulness to Trump. Trump had gotten out of him all he could — months and months of deference and defense — and now saw Ramaswamy as a problem rather than a solution.

What set him off?

Apparently, this:

Chris LaCivita, one of Trump’s top strategists, responded to that tweet with this:

Here is a great picture of this campaigns number one FRAUD - 1. Trump doesn’t need "saving" 2. If you support @realDonaldTrump you sure as hell don’t vote for this FAKE

Soon after, Trump began his Ramaswamy assault on Truth Social.

Two things are true here:

1. Ramaswamy’s candidacy never really made any sense. He was running in lock step with Trump, which works if Trump isn’t in the race. But when you could vote for the real thing, why would you vote for Vivek? The logic that Ramaswamy has trotted out — that the only way to save Trump from political persecution (and prosecution) is to vote for him (not Trump) is, um, illogical.

2. Whether it was a bunch of guys wearing “Save Trump, Vote Vivek” shirts or some other incident, Trump was always a) going to find something to take offense at and b) turn on Vivek publicly. It’s what he does. He finds slights — real or perceived — and uses them to justify throwing people (including people who have long supported him) under the bus.

Let me be clear: I have zero sympathy for Ramaswamy here. He knew exactly what he was doing — drafting off of Trump’s name to distinguish himself in the Republican primary. And he had to know, too, how this all would end. Badly.

The simple fact is that Trump doesn’t care about elevating other voices within the Republican party. He doesn’t even really care about the Republican party. He cares about what is good for him, what is going to make it most likely that he gets what he wants.

If you are helping him get what he wants, you are his friend. For now. The second he perceives you as less than helpful, you are gone. Without a second thought.