Journo On CNN: ‘Close’ Trump Source Says ‘Trump Knows He Has To Win’ Or ‘He Goes To Jail’

Washington Post journalist and Early 202 newsletter co-author Leigh Ann Caldwell said a “close” Trump source recently told her that former President Donald Trump “knows he has to win” or “he goes to jail.”

Trump’s legal woes have receded into the background, but he is scheduled to be sentenced for the 34 felony counts he was found guilty of in the Stormy Daniels hush money-election interference trial, and he still faces dozens of criminal counts in the classified documents case whose dismissal is under appeal, the January 6 case, and the now-paused Fulton County election crimes case.

On Tuesday afternoon’s edition of CNN’s Inside Politics — while discussing the strange “Daddy” theme of Wednesday night’s Trump rally — Caldwell revealed that legal jeopardy is still top of mind for Trump, and informs his go-for-broke campaign closing:

DANA BASH: [Tucker Carlson] is now part of Trump’s squad, along with other people who are who are like minded. And it’s a very clear well, actually sent a very clear message. It’s not a very it’s a very weird message. But one of the things he’s trying to get at is the through line inside. The closing message of Donald Trump is only weak men support Kamala Harris.

LEIGH ANN CALDWELL: Yeah, I was afraid you are going to come to me first. So thanks, Dana.

I thought about that, but yes, absolutely. So men. Masculinity has been something that Donald Trump has been leaning into for months. This is not something new. There has been a gender divide with Donald Trump among Donald Trump supporters since before this election. But he is really trying to expand that divide between men and women.

For months, he has been appearing on podcasts that that have a specific audience geared toward white men. He’s going to be on Joe Rogan show, I think its tomorrow as well. So he’s continuing this theme.

But I think that Elaina was absolutely right that even though Tucker Carlson said it in this very odd and creepy but (creepy) — but a creepy, paternalistic way. Right. The the issues are the same.

The fact that Donald Trump threw out his candidacy is trying to seek revenge against people who have done him wrong. I was talking to a Republican close to Donald Trump yesterday who said on background, “Look, Trump knows, and people know, that this election is very serious for him. He has to win or he goes to jail.”

Watch above via CNN’s Inside Politics.