Trump's exit: President leaves office with legacy of chaos

Donald Trump will walk out of White House and board Marine One for last time as president Wednesday morning, leaving behind a legacy of chaos and tumult and a nation bitterly divided.

Four years after standing on st at his own inauguration and painting a dire picture of “American carn," Trump departs office twice impeached, with millions more out of work and 400,000 dead from coronavirus. Republicans under his watch lost presidency and both chambers of Congress. He will be forever remembered for final major act of his presidency: inciting an insurrection at Capitol that left five dead, including a Capitol Police officer, and horrified nation.

Trump will be first president in modern history to boycott his successor’s inauguration as he continues to stew about his loss and privately maintains election that President-elect Joe Biden fairly won was stolen from him. Republican officials in several critical states, members of his own administration and a wide swath of judges, including those appointed by Trump, have rejected those arguments.

Still, Trump has refused to participate in any of symbolic passing-of--torch traditions surrounding peaceful transition of power, including inviting Bidens over for a get-to-kw-you visit.

By time Biden is sworn in, Trump will already have landed at his private Mar-a-Lago club in West Palm Beach, Florida, to face an uncertain future — but t before giving himself a grand military sendoff, complete with a red carpet, military band and 21-gun salute.

Guests have been invited, but it is unclear how many will attend. Even Vice President Mike Pence plans to skip event, citing logistical challenges of getting from air base to inauguration ceremonies. Washington has been transformed into a security fortress, with thousands of National Guard troops, fencing and checkpoints to try to stave off furr violence.

Aides had urged Trump to spend his final days in office trying to salv his legacy by highlighting his administration’s achievements — passing tax cuts, scaling back federal regulations, rmalizing relations in Middle East. But Trump largely refused, taking a single trip to Texas border and releasing a video in which he pledged to his supporters that “ movement we started is only just beginning.”

Trump will retire to Florida with a small group of former White House aides as he charts a political future that looks very different w than just two weeks ago.

Before Capitol riot, Trump had been expected to remain his party’s de facto leader, wielding ermous power as he served as a kingmaker and mulled a 2024 presidential run. But w he appears more powerless than ever — shunned by so many in his party, impeached twice, denied Twitter bullhorn he had intended to use as his weapon and even facing prospect that, if he is convicted in his Senate trial, he could be barred from seeking a second term.

For w, Trump remains angry and embarrassed, consumed with r and grievance. He spent week after election sinking deeper and deeper into a world of conspiracy, and those who have spoken with him say he continues to believe he won in vember. He continues to lash out at Republicans for perceived disloyalty and has threatened, both publicly and privately, to spend coming years backing primary challenges against those he feel betrayed him.

Some expect him to eventually turn completely on Republican Party, perhaps by flirting with a run as a third-party candidate as an act of revenge.

For all chaos and drama and bending world to his will, Trump ended his term as he began it: largely alone. Republican Party he co-opted finally appeared to have had eugh after Trump’s supporters violently stormed Capitol, hunting for lawmakers who refused to go along with Trump’s unconstitutional efforts to overturn results of a democratic election.

But although Washington may have had eugh, Trump retains his grip on Republican base, with support of millions of loyal voters, along with allies still helming Republican National Committee and many state party organizations.

city he leaves will t miss him. Trump rarely left confines of White House, except to visit his own hotel. He and his wife never once ate dinner at any or local restaurant; never ventured out to shop in its stores or see sites. When he did leave, it was almost always to one of his properties: his golf course in Virginia, his golf course in New Jersey, his private club and nearby golf course in Palm Beach, Florida.  city overwhelmingly supported Biden, with 93% of vote. Trump received just 5.4% of vote — or fewer than 18,600 ballots — t eugh to fill Washington Capitals hockey arena.

Im Credits: Associated Press