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It’s another example of how Trump and MAGA are attempting to undermine faith in the coming election. Trump lost the popular vote in both 2016 and 2020, so he might be making a preemptive strike at the legitimacy of the results should he lose the popular vote a third time. Still, it’s not clear why he’s telling his supporters not to vote at all. Perhaps it’s another example of the former president and convicted felon’s cognitive decline.
Trump only ever escalates, he never deescalates. So no, he would never quit. But you are absolutely right that losing again would be a huge insult to him. Bigger than before.
Not only losing would trigger Trump; he lost to Kamala, a women of color. It would drive Trump insane.
I’m no expert, but as of this moment I don’t think he’ll go into the election while trailing. I think he’ll make up an excuse to drop out (liberal elite crossing guards, crooked something, the weather is woke, whatever), and from there he’ll do his original plan to get more right wingers on board to buy his crap while he dodges lawsuits.