Even if the next presidential elections in the USA are not due until 2024, the rumor mill has been simmering for a long time. The focus of speculation is the question of whether ex-President Donald Trump will again be in the race for the place in the White House. A renewed candidacy could affect the result of the committee of inquiry into the storming of the Capitol in January 2021. The panel recently came to the conclusion that Trump deliberately planned the attack – and long in advance.
The storming of the Capitol is also one of the core themes addressed in the three-part documentary “Trump: Unprecedented” (from July 15, discovery ). As part of the filming, filmmaker Alex Holder followed the former president’s family through the final six weeks of the 2020 presidential campaign and chronicled the Trumps’ reactions to the election defeat.
For political observers, the documentary format becomes particularly exciting in the third episode, when the storming of the Capitol takes center stage. She reviews the day of events, including footage of the streets and Trump’s speech on the morning of January 6, 2021. Those present were “hypnotized” by Trump, observers recall in retrospect. The event was the epitome of the “Church of Trumpism” and formed the breeding ground for the riots.
Trump himself, on the other hand, revealed in an interview – unsurprisingly – a rather exclusive opinion about what was happening: “People went to Washington primarily because they were angry about an election that they thought was fake.” And the former US President goes even further and characterizes the demonstrators as follows: “I can tell you that they were angry about what happened at the election because they are smart – and they saw what happened.” Trump’s children , who in the documentary never tire of emphasizing what a great fighting heart their father has, however, do not want to provide any information about the events of January 6th. It’s an eloquent silence.
In general, there is little that is new about controversial topics of the Trump era. Critical questions about Trump’s accusation of election rigging and Trump’s aversion to journalists remain unanswered. Although “Trump: Unprecedented” is initially provided with the note that the Trumps had no editorial control over the documentary series, they are never put under pressure by the creators. It is also surprising that Melania Trump, after all a former First Lady, is almost completely excluded. One can only speculate about the reasons for this.
At best, the sensational ban on Twitter and Facebook, which the social media services imposed after Trump’s increasing verbal gaffes, is also touched upon. The 76-year-old complained in the documentary that it was “a disgrace” and described those responsible as “criminals”. After all, he is not a “terrible person” but has “a great voice. I have a voice that hundreds of millions of people are listening to.”
But what does “Trump: Unprecedented” do if it doesn’t take a critical look at Trump’s term in office, including all the conspiracy theories, lies and scandals? Most importantly, the three-part format breaks down the entanglements within a family that, while Eric Trump says is “closer” than any other, serves one primary purpose: to make the Trump brand and his face, Donald, shine.
McKay Coppins, a journalist with “The Athletic”, sums up Trump’s children’s courtship of their father’s favor: “You are here to serve and represent your father and to get his attention and approval.” Special Ivanka Trump, who the ex-president even wanted to make UN ambassador, did well. According to Coppins, she was “always daddy’s little girl”. In contrast, Trump himself only calls his son Eric a “good businessman”.
The distance between Donald Trump and his namesake and son, Donald Jr., is particularly evident. The documentary portrays him as a braggart who likes to rise above others – especially Hunter Biden, whom he regularly vilified during campaign events. “The irony is that what made Don Jr. such a valuable campaign agent embarrassed Donald Trump for most of his life,” McKay Coppins describes Donald Jr.’s enthusiasm for guns — a subject he cares about that his father could never get excited about and that, as archive footage shows, he sees as a characteristic of losers.
Meanwhile, shots of the umpteen election campaign events that the Trump family held throughout the United States in 2020 sometimes seem surreal. You see people cheering the arrival of Donald Trump like a rock star. Elsewhere, a man bursts into tears from Trump euphoria, supporters of the Republican pray for an election victory or Eric Trump signs caps after his speech and faces an Elvis impersonator.
With all the belly brushing Donald Trump gets from his kids in “Trump: Unprecedented,” the documentary leaves one question unanswered. “Every poll says I have to run, I have to run,” Trump says proudly, but ends the three-part format with a real cliffhanger: “I’ll make a decision in the not too distant future, stay tuned.”
The song “Layla” has been at the top of the charts for weeks and is particularly popular on Ballermann. The cities of Würzburg and Dsseldorf have now banned the song at their folk festivals because of its sexist lyrics.
16-year-old Kaden from Norfolk, England, went to his school prom in an extravagant bright red dress with a crown on his head instead of wearing a formal suit. When he got out of the car, his classmates cheered.
Attitudes towards work also change over the generations. Much to the chagrin of Europapark boss Mack, who is currently desperately looking for workers for his amusement park. He cannot understand the work ethic of the younger generation, which is geared towards balance and little stress.
*The contribution “Documentary reveals ties in the Trump clan – but one person is missing” is published by Teleschau. Contact the person responsible here.