... When it comes to racial or religious discrimination, no amount of empirical evidence seems sufficient, but no proof is necessary for the president to be absolutely certain of the innocence of his supporters.
When it comes to Trump's associates, the president becomes a self-styled expert in due process, and a devotee of the idea that one is innocent until proven guilty—or in some cases, even after. ...
Similarly, when Trump’s allies have been accused of wrongdoing but not charged with crimes, Trump has insisted on giving them the benefit of the doubt, even in the face of strong public evidence against them. ...
This benefit of the doubt is not applied to Trump’s critics and political rivals, for whom an accusation appears as good as a conviction. ...
Such rhetoric also points to how Trump wishes the law would operate. For those outside Trump’s privileged circle, the law bars no cruelty, brutality, or injustice. For Trump and those he considers his allies, no scrupulous adherence to due process is sufficient, and no crime can justify prosecution.
For the gilded class orbiting Trump Tower, impunity. For communities of color and others targeted by his rhetoric, and the public figures who draw his wrath, only the harshest sanctions will do.
