{"text":[[{"start":5.05,"text":"Were America’s 25th amendment to be used on Donald Trump, his ejectors would surely cite the monuments he is building to himself. “Me,” was Trump’s answer about the object of his proposed 250ft triumphal arch in Washington. That solved the riddle of which triumph that obelisk was meant to commemorate. Since the Freudian answer is “Arc de Trump”, the US public can take their minds off future glory in Iran or elsewhere. The same applies to the 90,000 sq ft ballroom that will take the place of the demolished White House east wing."}],[{"start":35.5,"text":"In the real world, there is scant chance Trump will be removed by his underlings for mental incapacity or anything else. Yet his detractors cite his self-branding mania as evidence of cognitive decline. In practice, Trump’s behaviour is constant. He has always put his name on things. In his view, it is good business practice. "}],[{"start":57.2,"text":"But is there more to it than egotism? Those accused of TDS (Trump derangement syndrome) are already relishing the moment when those yet-to-be-built landmarks will be demolished. Clinical accuracy, however, would assign TDS to those who encourage Trump’s pharaonic dreams. "}],[{"start":74.6,"text":"Whether it’s lawmakers sponsoring bills to add his likeness to Mount Rushmore or advisers saying he’s the greatest US president in history, staff are only responding to what he wants. Trump recently declared: “As everyone knows, I’m an extraordinarily brilliant person.”"}],[{"start":90.3,"text":"But there are grounds to suspect that he is thinking of something bigger than self-adulation. The best way to perpetuate your name is to arrange for a successor with the same name. Among Trump’s children, Barron is too young (20), as is Tiffany (32), which leaves Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr. "}],[{"start":108.35,"text":"Of these, Ivanka has noticeably distanced herself from her father since 2021. Which leaves Eric and Don Jr. Neither lacks for ambition. Each is also getting very rich very fast. Forbes estimates that Eric’s net worth has risen 10-fold to $400mn since November 2024. Don Jr’s has risen sixfold to about $300mn."}],[{"start":134.75,"text":"Between them, Don Jr is the one who most craves to please his father. Polymarket puts his odds of winning the 2028 Republican nomination at four per cent, well behind the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, at 21 per cent and JD Vance, the vice-president, at 39 per cent. Tucker Carlson, the former Fox News anchor, who recently denounced Trump as a “slave” of Israel, is ranked third at six per cent (Ivanka and Eric have one per cent apiece). But there are reasons to think Don Jr is underweighted."}],[{"start":163.65,"text":"Chief of these is that Trump’s oldest son can be controlled. Though Vance and Rubio would each be far more qualified, neither could be banked on to stay loyal after Trump handed over the keys. Ignoring the 22nd amendment, which says that no president shall serve more than two terms, would amount to a coup d’état. Even this US Supreme Court would be unlikely to greenlight a third Trump term. Nor is demoting himself to being Vance or Rubio’s running mate a way to circumvent the US constitution, which explicitly debars that ruse. "}],[{"start":195.25,"text":"Which leaves one of his sons. Trump’s recent flurry of self-naming looks like more than just a bid for legacy. Many of his vanity projects will take years to bear fruit. The triumphal arch, for example, is projected for completion in 2028. The ballroom will take a year or two. Trump recently forced out his navy secretary, John Phelan, in part for moving too slowly on the “Trump-class golden battleships” that he has ordered built. "}],[{"start":220.55,"text":"In February, Trump offered to unfreeze funds for two New York infrastructure projects if Democrats agreed to rename Washington’s Dulles Airport and New York’s Penn Station after him. They turned him down."}],[{"start":233.05,"text":"Other name grabs, including the renamed Donald J Trump and John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the US (now Trump) Institute for Peace, were quick work. That is also true of the $1mn “Trump gold card” for life-long US visas, his signature on dollar bills, and draping his likeness on federal buildings, including the Department of Justice. But these can be taken down as quickly as they were put up. "}],[{"start":259.55,"text":"It is often observed that Trump loves the pomp of monarchy and craves the power of the autocrat. Last week he hosted Charles III. Next week he will be the guest of China’s “president for life”, Xi Jinping. What seems overlooked is his admiration for royal succession. Given Trump’s monumental ambitions, it would be strange if dynasty were not on his mind. "}],[{"start":286.6,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1778036008_8974.mp3"}