Where Will Trump go After the

Being president is usually considered the crowning achievement of a lifetime. Presidents spend a great deal of time thinking about their legacies, and with good reason. Most presidents go into semi-retirement once they are out of office. Aside from writing books, advising their successors, giving speeches, and organizing for non-profits, most presidents are content to retire and rest on their laurels once they are out of office. Donald Trump was not a typical president. While much of his legacy is already written, what remains of his future is a somewhat concerning question mark.

Financial Future

Odds are that at some point, you've gotten insurance quotes to help secure your financial future. One wonders if Trump has done the same. His financial past has always been a confusing mess of extreme highs and equally extreme lows. Sometimes those two overlapped; there is some evidence that he has over-reported his earnings to media outlets while at the same time under-reporting his value to the IRS. As a result, his financial future is uncertain and unclear, partly because his financial past is checkered or completely obscured.

Media Plans

There have been persistent rumors that Trump might start his own media company since before his first presidential run, something akin to the controversial conservative news media giants and start-ups he so often patronized. It may seem like a no-brainer; a reality TV personality with a cult-like following and a huge fortune might easily be expected to found his own media empire. However, the promised media company has yet to appear, and one has to wonder how successful the former president would be at organizing it. From casinos going bankrupt to universities in serious legal trouble and lawyers going unpaid, Trump has gained something of a reputation for poor follow-through.

Political Power

However, he may not have much choice. Much of his political power and popularity was built on his overwhelming media presence, and with his permanent ban on many social media platforms, the only way to keep getting his political messages out is if he starts his own media company. Trump's political power has been undeniable but not unlimited. Political power is built on allies, whether those allies are gained through fear and coercion or love and dedication. He has an almost cultish following that seems to love him no matter what he does, but finding plurality support has eluded him. He burns through allies as quickly as he burns through lawyers and wives. He has yet to win a popular election, and his popularity, while difficult to erode below 30%, barely ever reached above 50% nationwide. However, that doesn't mean he won't run for office again. In fact, there are pretty compelling reasons that might drive him to it.

Legal Woes

Presidents enjoy certain legal immunities. There were rumors at the start of his campaign that he was only running for president to dodge the unfinished lawsuits and investigations being leveled against him. Hanging over all of this are the unanswered legal questions. As a rule, ex-presidents don't face jail time or serious consequences in the United States, but there are real and reasonable concerns that Trump may be the exception here as well. While he escaped conviction in both his impeachment trials, that is no protection against future legal action at the state or federal level for any of his many alleged crimes.

Those lawsuits and legal actions are still waiting for him, and now that he is a private citizen again, they can begin to move forward. On top of that, a number of potential legal actions have been added to the list, from alleged corruption to solicitation of election fraud and even potential incitement to insurrection, sedition, and treason. What the federal justice department will pursue is unclear, but states like New York and Georgia are already moving forward with their own investigations. While the precise details of his future are unclear, there is little doubt that this will be his legacy, one way or another.