Here’s the stunning part about Donald Trump’s downfall tonight

What’s stunning is how thoroughly Trump has wasted his transition period. He could have used it to try to give himself a softer landing with regard to the prison and bankruptcy he’s facing. Instead he’s ensured that his post-presidency life will be pure hell for him.

Trump is, after all, the guy who’s declared bankruptcy six times over the years. His consistent pattern of behavior has been that the minute he’s realized he’s going to lose, he’s tried to cut his losses and set himself up for the next scam.

Trump could have used the transition period to quietly focus on lining his pockets, or try to negotiate some kind of criminal immunity. Instead he’s used the transition to make himself far more unpopular than ever, he’s all but ensured that he’ll face federal criminal charges, and he’s permanently lost his Twitter account. Trump has set himself up for the worst possible ending.