It’s another example of how Trump and MAGA are attempting to undermine faith in the coming election. Trump lost the popular vote in both 2016 and 2020, so he might be making a preemptive strike at the legitimacy of the results should he lose the popular vote a third time. Still, it’s not clear why he’s telling his supporters not to vote at all. Perhaps it’s another example of the former president and convicted felon’s cognitive decline.

  • satanmat@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Because— no matter what happens; in his universe, he’s the winner… if he actually wins “see how great I am” — if he loses “see how they robbed us? “

    He needs and must be the center of attention and adulation.

    See also malignant narcissisms

    • Freefall@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I served with a guy like this. He would always put himself at a disadvantage in any contest or game. If he won “he was so good he overcame you even at a handicap”, if he lost “yeah, but even with a handicap it was close”…so annoying.

      • frunch@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        That’s like the dating strategy Todd Gak had used on Elaine in Seinfeld–he made a bet with her that Dustin Hoffman was in Star Wars, saying he’d buy her dinner if he was wrong. She took him up on the bet, and since he was wrong he bought her dinner. The whole dinner had the makings of a date, though it had never been explicitly called one. It gave him cover, if the date didn’t go the way he liked he could always refuse another one without rocking the boat too much (or he could fall back on the bet excuse if she doesn’t show further interest too)… He’d found a “dating loophole” lol

    • TSG_Asmodeus (he, him)@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I think it’s also he can’t stand to lose now. He was fine the first time, it was to launch his brand. Now it would be an insult to him, so he’d rather quit than lose.

      • the_wise_wolf@feddit.org
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        4 months ago

        Trump only ever escalates, he never deescalates. So no, he would never quit. But you are absolutely right that losing again would be a huge insult to him. Bigger than before.

        • TSG_Asmodeus (he, him)@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          So no, he would never quit.

          I’m no expert, but as of this moment I don’t think he’ll go into the election while trailing. I think he’ll make up an excuse to drop out (liberal elite crossing guards, crooked something, the weather is woke, whatever), and from there he’ll do his original plan to get more right wingers on board to buy his crap while he dodges lawsuits.

        • ShaggySnacks
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          4 months ago

          Not only losing would trigger Trump; he lost to Kamala, a women of color. It would drive Trump insane.

    • Etterra@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Sometimes I’ll observe a person and think, “I’ll go ahead and hope I’m wrong in my belief that there’s no afterlife, just for you.”

    • Dragomus@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      He’s already been told he has “the votes” now and has won. So if that turns out not to be happening the closer we get to November’s results, to him it will be a purely fraudulent steal.

    • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Anyone who’s going to vote for the Mango Mussolini has already decided to and nothing can convince them not to.

      Likewise, everyone else who’s ever heard of him would never in a million years vote for him.

      Contrary to the perennial Dem election strategy Plan 1992, there’s hardly any undecided voters. The only ones who truly are undecided have deliberately not followed politics for the last 8 years and are unlikely to vote.

      So yeah, he already has all the votes he’s going to get and won’t lose any. Let’s just hope that he’s wrong about having enough to eke out an EC win.

  • GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk
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    4 months ago

    I guess it simplifies the game plan. If there is only one outcome to prepare for, it’s easier to organise what you’re going to do.
    Plus, it gives him a face save.
    “NO, we did not lose that FRAUDULENT ELECTION. I told the GOOD people not to vote, and they did not. I will be holding my OWN, FREE ELECTION in florida on friday.”

    • Passerby6497@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Honestly, I kinda hope that’s what demented don does. Hold a fake election that means less than nothing and have all his idiots not vote in the one that matters.

      He’d lose, and wouldn’t be able to try his Couping 2: Electric Boogaloo

  • mommykink@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    This man is genuinely retarded. If I didn’t think his ego was as huge as it is, I’d think this is a tactic to save face when he gets crushed in November.

    • OsaErisXero@kbin.run
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      4 months ago

      I mean, he’s incredibly unsubtle. Maybe he knows deep down that in a straight vote he’s going to lose, so people voting isn’t going to matter vs the amount of crime that’s going to be committed in early November?

        • andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works
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          4 months ago

          As do other words, even if we make them up.

          DEMENTALIZED

          ENDOOFED

          BABYHANDERED

          DECOGNITIFIED

          SQUAREPEGIFULLY INTOROUNDHOLIDIFIED

    • zcd@lemmy.ca
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      4 months ago

      They’re struggling to come up with a plan… is he going to quit?

      • ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        I highly doubt it. One of the main reasons he wants the presidency is to pardon himself for everything and anything. And to be king.

        Can’t do either of those things if he quits completely.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      Perhaps he and his brain trust are somehow thinking they should abandon democratic process and peaceful transition of power altogether and actually try to stage a literal coup. Watch what the legislative leadership does. Johnson in particular. He’ll probably try some sketchy bullshit on January 6, 2025.

      • Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I swear I read that certain states have put in laws where they can ultimately refuse the outcomes of elections if they so choose, and the SCOTUS is already primed to be the deciding factor. I don’t recall if that was pure doom 'n gloom from his 2020 tantrums though

        • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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          Yeah, but the thing is, I really don’t think either Biden or Harris will take it lying down if the SC tries to straight up enable a coup. It would be categorically indefensible, even to Biden, who’s been frustratingly milquetoast in pushing back against their very obviously biased decisions of recent years.

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    4 months ago

    putin told him not to worry… he’s got the votes and will take care of things.

    orange idiot is just speaking out of turn, as usual. he was supposed to keep his trap shut.

  • LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    “Do not vote for me so when I lose the election I can whine about election fraud for next 4 years” - serial whiner

    • barsquid@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      If this demented rapist tanks the Repubs this election (again, but harder) just to be able to get some good whines that would be hilarious. I hope it happens and McConnell has a fatal heart attack with rage over it.

  • Vertelleus@sh.itjust.works
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    4 months ago

    If he wins he can get rid of his federal crimes, if he loses he can take all the campaign money to spend on lawyers that will dance to his tune.

    • draneceusrex@lemmy.world
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      His lawyers were super effective in 2020 /s. Can’t wait for him to have his next press conference at the Four Seasons!

        • draneceusrex@lemmy.world
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          Trump having 4 more years to stack the Judiciary is truly the biggest consequence of him getting back into office, and will have the longest lasting effect than anything else he could do as president.

    • ShaggySnacks
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      4 months ago

      Spend is doing a lot heavy lifting there. Fairly sure, Trump screws lawyers out of paying for everything.

  • Wytch@lemmy.zip
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    4 months ago

    Their plan does not appear to involve democracy regardless of turnout or results. Of course he doesn’t care if they vote.

  • thefartographer@lemm.ee
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    My guess? A spark:

    If Trump wins the election, his people have won and can become complacent. If you tell them to start a civil war, they’ll ask why and push back.

    If they lose the election, when Trump says fight, they just might be angry enough to do it. It might be just enough of a spark to ignite the war.

  • somtwo@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Because Americans have limited memories and he’s counting on that. Source: am American.

  • blarth@thelemmy.club
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    4 months ago

    Probably because he doesn’t want to continue selling the country out to Putin as part of his obvious debt to him, and the only way out is to lose without looking like he’s actively trying to.