Trump: The End, or Just the Beginning?

Official portrait of the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Robert S. Mueller. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In recent weeks, revelations about alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and its influence on Donald Trump's campaign have made it sound like the beginning of the end for the man who is now President.  Or should it be the end of the beginning?

• Before Trump fired FBI director James Comey, he had asked the director to back off on his investigation of Michael Flynn, the National Security adviser who lasted only a couple of weeks on the job before details of his alleged collusion with the Russians did him in.
• After Comey was fired, Trump held a meeting in the Oval Office with two Russian officials, in which he claimed he had classified documents on how to handle the Islamic State.  He also told them that Comey was a 'nut job' whose removal helped to cool the investigation.  All this was reported by Russian state media who were in the room, not the White House press corps who were kicked out.  Now we know why.
• Robert Mueller, a former FBI director, was named special prosecutor by the Justice Department.  He is apparently well respected by almost everyone in Washington, but he might want to look over his shoulder.  Even though Mueller can't be fired by Trump, let's see how long it takes the President to undermine the special prosecutor.
• Is there a problem mentally with Trump?  Amateur psychologists and real doctors can only speculate from afar on his erratic behavior since taking office, and what it means.  It is also very dangerous to do so, since Trump has yet to release his full medical history for the same reason why he hasn't released his recent tax returns.

All of this is leading to talk of a possible impeachment.  Granted, this current scandal ranks just behind Watergate and ahead of Monicagate so far in terms of how damaging it is to whoever is in charge, depending on what Mueller turns up about the misdeeds (if any) of the Trumps and the Russians.

Impeachment would be difficult to pull off, no matter what the evidence, since (A) there's never been one that's removed a President from office, and (B) the Republicans have the numbers in Congress to beat back any attempt.  After working so hard the last eight years to undermine the legacy of the previous Democratic president, why should the GOP do that to one of their own?  Even if it is Trump threatening to louse up the party's 2018 midterm election chances, but that's doubtful.

The most likely scenario, if it happens at all, is for Trump to resign.  His ego might not permit it, but the daily crush of revelations from the investigations and the souring of his base just might change his mind.  Then it really will be time for President Mike Pence.