“This is confirmation of so much that everyone has said for years now — things that a lot of us thought were hyperbolic,” the source said. “We’d say, ‘Trump’s not a fascist,’ or ‘He’s not a wannabe dictator.’ Now, it’s like, ‘Well, what do you even say in response to that now?’” The source also put the presidency in a context that many Netflix subscribers could understand. “This is like a plot straight out of the later, sucky seasons of House of Cards where they just go full evil and say, ‘Let’s spark mass protests and start wars and whatever,’” the senior official said, referring to Beau Willimon’s politically charged series about a Machiavellian politician that lasted six seasons.
The comments followed Wednesday’s riots sparked in response to the Electoral College’s certification of president-elect Joe Biden’s victory, which has been met with derision and disbelief by many Trump supporters. Unrest is likely to continue through Inauguration Day on January 20, which Trump said on Twitter he would not attend. The official also noted how Trump’s legacy has cast a stain on the Republican party, and disillusioned those who’ve worked closely with him. “For people who devoted years of their lives to dealing with the insanity in an attempt to advance a policy agenda that you believe in, all of that has been wiped out,” the official said. “The legacy of the Trump administration is going to be that the president sparked an insurrection and people died because he tried his best to not abide by the Constitution and the tradition of a peaceful transition of power that’s been the norm since our founding. Nothing else is even going to be a side note.” The official added: “There’s not a single person I have talked to at any level, from 23-year-old assistants to members of the Cabinet, who are not disgusted and ashamed with what has happened.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
