It all finally caught up to Donald Trump.
Trump, who built a brand on projecting indestructibility, has been branded as something he despises: a loser.
Trump, 74, was born into a wealthy family, built a global business (with a few bankruptcies along the way), became a reality TV star and then won the presidency with no political experience. It allowed the braggadocious businessman to craft his own legacy: Success against all odds.
But now investigators are examining whether Trump improperly inflated assets, evaded taxes and paid off women alleging affairs in violation of campaign finance laws. Women have filed lawsuits accusing him of harassing and assaulting them. Lenders are looking for hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to be repaid.
And he’s lost the legal immunity the presidency confers on him. He’s lost the White House’s bully pulpit. He may lose the GOP.
So Trump must plot how he can make the money he will need, keep the attention he craves and evade the authorities probing him. And according to Republicans familiar with the situation, he has already started doing that.