Zeus of Twitter or mouse of Mar-a-Lago? Republicans court Trump in Florida

[DonViejo]

Former president to speak at RNC fundraiser on Saturday

Some observers say his influence is starting to fade

Martin Pengelly and agencies
@MartinPengelly

Sat 10 Apr 2021 11.15 EDT

Donald Trump was scheduled to speak on Saturday at a Republican National Committee event held at his Mar-a-Lago resort, amid a weekend of summits and dinners in the former president’s corner of Florida.

The Republican rush to court Trump – and to pay for the use of his properties – is proving highly profitable. According to the Washington Post, attendees at the 400-person banquet planned for Saturday paid more than $100,000 each to attend.

Trump is still a draw on the right. Nonetheless, debate continues over his place in a party he led to victory in one presidential election but then shepherded to defeat in another while losing the House and the Senate after four years of chaos and two impeachment trials.

His spokesman, Jason Miller, told the Post he was still “the biggest name in politics”.

A leading presidential historian countered, telling the Associated Press that where once Trump was “like Zeus … shooting tweets like thunderbolts from up high”, now he only released “little squeaks from the mouse of Mar-a-Lago”.

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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/10/zeus-of-twitter-or-mouse-of-mar-a-lago-republicans-trump--florida