The Morning Briefing: Trump Informs GOP Higher-Ups That It's Still His Party

Top O’ the Briefing

Trump Is Back On Brand

Happy Monday, dear Kruiser Morning Briefing friends. I spent the weekend polishing my privilege. It was delightful.

I was also thinking about this time last year. It was the last few days before the plague became the overwhelming theme of our lives. The week began with all of us being aware that things were getting worse and ended with universities shutting down, my daughter’s college athletic career being over in the blink of an eye, and chaos beginning a lengthy, worldwide reign. I was trying to remember what those last few days felt like and my plague-year brain found it impossible to do so.

It feels like it’s always been masks and talk of social distancing now.

The new normal, indeed.

Former President Trump has been getting back in the game the last couple of weeks, to the delight of many of us. Those of us who are among the over 74 million actual Trump voters that the Democrats and the Republican squish fringe have been trying to wish away hope that he gets even more active and does it soon.

We’ve been subjected to countless wearisome hot takes about the future of the GOP and what role Trump will play in it. The only reason Trump wouldn’t have a major role in it would be that he didn’t want it. Thankfully, he does.

In a recent interview, Sen. Lindsey Graham said that Trump can make the GOP “bigger,” “stronger,” and “more diverse.” Trump has already accomplished all of that, of course, which is the reason he needs to keep remaking the party so that those gains aren’t lost.

At the end of last week, Trump made another move to let everyone know that he’s going to be involved in his own unique way:

Sources tell The Hill that Donald Trump’s attorneys sent cease-and-desist letters Friday to the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) to stop using his name and image for fundraising.

The three groups are the largest fundraising groups in the Republican Party.

From Trump’s point of view, the letters make perfect sense. Any use of his likeness and name is money in the bank. Better yet, he can use that money to fund his political activities or his personal lifestyle.

Trump has made no secret about the fact that he wants to only support Republicans who are supportive of him. He no doubt wants to avoid having his name used to raise money for those whom he deems turncoats, like Lisa Murkowski.

As The Hill article noted, this seems to be an attempt by Trump to “solidify his standing as a top kingmaker in the GOP.” “The” top kingmaker would be more like it. Who else in the Republican party has that kind of power? The MSM hacks are still lost in a dreamland where they think the Romney wing of the party is respected and has some clout.

The Republican party’s future is directly tied to Donald Trump and what he’s done with it since winning in 2016. Should it inexplicably revert to its pre-Trump ways, it won’t be a dying party, it will be a dead party.

The Trump Train is still chugging along, despite the voting irregularity attempts to derail it. Smart money Republicans will stay on it and see where Trump leads them.

Next stop: November 2022.

Everything Isn’t Awful

Labradoodle Has Incredible Bond With 7-Year-old Who Was Adopted Into the Family at the Same Time 🐕

Meet the labradoodle with an incredible bond with his best friend, a boy who was adopted into the family at the same time! #animals #dogsoftwitter https://t.co/FPS5iASpy5

— Good News Network (@goodnewsnetwork) March 6, 2021

The Kruiser Kabana

Kabana Gallery

March 2020 March 2021 pic.twitter.com/UP33B7IygN

— MoMA The Museum of Modern Art (@MuseumModernArt) March 5, 2021

Kabana Random

The Romantic poets' verse was beautiful and inspired—and so were their insults, though not in the same way. https://t.co/bOravJYZRL

— Mental Floss (@mental_floss) March 7, 2021

Kabana Tunes

The world could use a lot more Zamfir right about now.

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PJ Media Senior Columnist and Associate Editor Stephen Kruiser is the author of “Don’t Let the Hippies Shower” and “Straight Outta Feelings: Political Zen in the Age of Outrage,” both of which address serious subjects in a humorous way. Monday through Friday he edits PJ Media’s “Morning Briefing.” His columns appear twice a week.