Donald Trump's stake is still worth nearly $2 billion, but fears he might follow CEO Devin Nunes and sell stock while it's still worth something is weighing on sentiment. (Kevin Dietsch—Getty Images)
Conservative lawyer and prominent Trump critic George Conway did not mince words on Sunday when discussing Donald Trump’s threats to sue media organizations and critics. During an appearance on MSNBC’s The Weekend, Conway argued that such lawsuits lack legal merit and serve primarily as tools for intimidation and harassment.
Conway specifically addressed Trump’s threat to sue Iowa pollster Ann Selzer for alleged “election interference.” Explaining why such a claim is baseless, Conway stated, “It’s the laws. You have to have laws that are violated to bring these actions whether they be brought in his personal capacity or by the government.
This is all nonsense.” Ridiculing the notion of suing a pollster over unfavorable results, Conway continued, “Especially suing the pollster? There is no claim for suing a pollster, for putting out a poll that doesn’t predict the right result. And think about this: he is saying they lied about a poll.
There is no person on this planet who has lied more about polls than Donald Trump. I mean, he is always saying he is ahead, he is never behind in the polls.” Conway framed Trump’s threats as classic examples of gaslighting and bullying. “It’s all gaslighting, and it’s all intimidation and bullying—that’s what narcissists do,” he explained.
“And some people are being bullied, and he is trying to make everybody afraid of him.” However, Conway predicted that Trump’s legal maneuvers would ultimately backfire. Highlighting Trump’s penchant for overreach, Conway pointed to his announced lawsuit against The Des Moines Register as an example of litigation destined to fail.
“He is going to overreach in some of these lawsuits… the lawyers may be sanctioned. These lawsuits are going to go nowhere, and he is going to have egg on his face and look like the fool that he is.” Conway’s analysis underscores the challenges Trump faces in using the courts to silence his critics.
Not only do these legal threats lack substance, but they also risk exposing him to greater scrutiny and public ridicule. For Conway, these tactics epitomize Trump’s bullying style but are doomed to fail, leaving the president-elect looking foolish in the process.
The sharp critique highlights broader concerns about the misuse of the legal system for personal vendettas and the implications for free speech and accountability in the public sphere.
