Democrats fear Trump will only get 'more extreme' after impeachment. Some Republicans agree.


Is President Trump only going to get "more extreme" after impeachment?
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) thinks so, predicting to Politico that Trump's "behavior will get more extreme going into the election" after he last week became only the third president in American history to be impeached by the House of Representatives.
"He will commit things that many Americans, including undecided independents, will find offensive," Kaine said. "Whether they’re impeachable offenses, I don't know. But I think in trying to jazz up his own base he's going to do some things that swing voters find offensive."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Several Republicans who spoke to Politico certainly didn't suggest Trump's behavior will get less extreme, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) saying, "A virtue of this president is he has been the same person yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and I expect that will continue."
But Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary under former President George W. Bush, voiced a similar concern to Kaine's, saying, "I worry the president will think he's got a lot more room to roam because he beat impeachment once, he can beat it anytime."
Similarly, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), asked if he worries Trump will be emboldened after being acquitted in his Senate trial, told Politico he isn't sure but that "I wish that he would drop his phone in a bucket of water."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Kirsty Coventry: the former Olympian and first woman to lead the IOC
In the Spotlight Coventry, a former competitive swimmer, won two Olympic gold medals
-
Critics' choice: Carrying the flag
Feature The best barbecue in town, Bradley Cooper's cheesesteak restaurant, and more
-
Film review: Materialists
Feature Two suitors seek to win over a jaded matchmaker
-
Trump judge pick told DOJ to defy courts, lawyer says
Speed Read Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official nominated by Trump for a lifetime seat, stands accused of encouraging government lawyers to mislead the courts and defy judicial orders
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Judges order release of 2 high-profile migrants
Speed Read Kilmar Ábrego García is back in the US and Mahmoud Khalil is allowed to go home — for now
-
US assessing bomb damage to Iran nuclear sites
Speed Read Trump claims this weekend's US bombing obliterated Tehran's nuclear program, while JD Vance insists the US is 'not at war with Iran'
-
Trump's LA deployment in limbo after court rulings
Speed Read Judge Breyer ruled that Trump's National Guard deployment to Los Angeles was an 'illegal' overreach. But a federal appellate court halted the ruling.
-
Marines, National Guard in LA can detain Americans
speed read The troops have been authorized to detain anyone who interferes with immigration raids
-
Trump vows 'very big force' against parade protesters
Speed Read The parade, which will shut down much of the capital, will celebrate the US Army's 250th anniversary and Trump's 79th birthday