Donald Trump Will Resort to 'Trumpian Things' To 'Seize as Much Attention', Michael Wolff Predicts

Michael Wolff predicts Donald Trump would seek to 'seize as much attention as he can' if Democrats retake power in the midterms, arguing on The Daily Beast's Inside Trump's Head podcast that Trump would try to retain control of the political spotlight after a defeat.

The discussion followed co-host Joanna Coles's question about Trump's conduct after losing to Joe Biden in 2020.

Wolff drew on that comparison to outline how he expected Trump to respond to a Democratic victory, with particular emphasis on the day after the result.

Michael Wolff Predicts a Contest for Trump's Spotlight

Wolff's prediction centred on the competing messages he expected from the two sides. He suggested Democrats would celebrate a victory and present it as a new political moment, while Trump would seek to convince the public he remained in control.

'He will understand that what he has to do on the day after,' Wolff stated. 'The imperative for him is to seize as much attention as he can. The Democrats, if they win, will be obviously celebrating. Obviously trying to impress upon the world that it is a new day. Donald Trump, for his part, will be trying to impress upon the world that he still controls the stage, that it doesn't make any difference.'

Wolff is a longtime author and reporter whose coverage of Trump includes several books about his first term and another about his return to office. On the podcast, he offered his interpretation of how Trump might handle losing political ground.

Trump and the Days After a Democratic Victory

That interpretation extended beyond election night. Wolff predicted Trump would continue trying to dominate attention after Democrats had begun presenting their victory to the public.

'They may say they won, and they may act like they've won, and maybe they technically have won, but the reality is it is still Donald Trump's world, and he will do everything possible to make that case. And he will do everything possible to make that case the day after and then the day after that.'

His remarks were conditional on Democrats winning. They did not establish that such a result was certain or identify particular actions Trump would take in response.

Wolff also suggested Trump was unlikely to stoke the same sort of violence associated with the January 6 Capitol riots. That assessment formed part of his forecast of Trump's possible behaviour following another electoral setback.

Wolff's Forecast of 'Trumpian Things' After a Trump Defeat

Although he did not specify what those actions might involve, Wolff predicted their scale would exceed what he believed had previously been seen or imagined.

'There will be a series of Trumpian things greater than, you know, greater than anything we've ever seen, greater than anything, actually, I think we've imagined,' he explained. 'Donald Trump will not go willingly. He will not be humbled.'

Wolff linked that forecast to his view of Trump's attitude toward losing, expecting an attack rather than a retreat.

He added, 'And I think that's that goes back to this idea that he never loses. The idea of humility does not exist in Donald Trump's soul. Therefore, he will do the opposite: not retreat, but attack.'