Comparing Napoleon the First and Louis Bonaparte Marx wrote, “Hegel remarks somewhere that all great, world-historic facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.” Donald Trump, for whom uniquely an ad hominem attack is virtually always justified, manages to combine both simultaneously.

Having lost the credibility of a substantial proportion of the population and consequently the election he is now set on losing the transition. It is clear public opinion, including amongst Republican supporters, has been moving away from President Trump as his increasingly strident but increasingly discredited rhetoric about election fraud has continued.

His latest, and, to date, most egregious actions inciting a rally of his supporters to “walk to the Congress” and “fight” produced an event which combined farce and tragedy in equal parts. Whilst his actions may not meet a statutory definition of sedition they certainly pass the common sense and everyday meaning of the word – “the use of words or actions that are intended to encourage people to oppose a government” (OED).

However, this call to insurrection betrayed all the hallmarks of the Trump presidency. Born out of wishful thinking with no consideration of the realities of the situation. A complete absence of concern for the consequences on his colleagues, the legislature, the government of the United States and its standing in the world. But most cynically of all, the consequences for his supporters.

The invasion of the building did not approach the political sophistication of a student sit-in. Shockingly, the security which faced the invaders appears to have been of a similar vintage. Sheer weight of numbers more than sufficient to secure entry.

The ubiquitous still and moving images of the event create an unforgettable and rich evidential source for future prosecutions. One has to think the political commitment to “no masks” by the organisers might not have been as thoroughly thought through as it could have been.

What came across was a front line of individuals, mainly men in outlandish costumes with racist and anti-semitic slogans printed on their t-shirts and bodies. These, on the ground “leaders”, were followed by rag tag flock of “sheep” consisting of what looked like a lot of middle-aged and elderly moms and pops. These, cannon fodder were closely “supported”, from three miles away, by the Trump family General Staff sitting in the White House bravely engaged in watching the battle on tv.

Tragically, the aggressive front line reinforced by the unthinking weight of support from the rear led to events like the crushing of riot police in doors and the totally unanticipated “success” of accessing the House and the Senate. Of course it is one thing to threaten and even to succeed in occupying the concourse of a university building. It is another altogether to prevent the legislative arm of government doing its constitutional duty of counting the votes in a presidential election.

In form this was an insurrectionist act. However, from the start it lacked credible content. Having successfully breached the security of the building they had no idea what to do next other than steal a lectern and leave adolescent notes on the desk of the leader of the House of Representatives.

The events of 6 January are truly shocking, and become more so as further video evidence emerges showing the aggressive violence of some of the insurgents. Whether it was incompetence, conspiracy, or mature restraint the death toll could have been much greater if the defenders had committed early to the use of deadly force.

The question of how different it might have been if this had been a Black Lives Matter invasion has been raised by many. Whatever may have happened in those circumstances it is worth remembering what did happen to a Vietnam War protest in 1970 at Kent State University where 4 students were shot dead and nine others wounded by the National Guard. The stain of the actions of the insurgents may be indelible but it could have been a great deal bloodier.

Beyond this however one has got to ask the question; five lives lost, for what?

Neither General Trump, nor his misguided militia had any sensible, much less credible, plan of action. This was not a coup it was a mindless stamping of feet. Like so much of his thinking his notion of a coup rests on the firm theoretical foundations of what he sees on tv. He wants to remain President so he thinks all he has to do is issue an instruction. “Make it so Number One.” Republican Senators, those responsible for the election count, his Vice President and his sadly misguided supporters all told to “Make it so”.

As President he had the power to shape much of the external world to fit his internal picture, and where he could not, eg. when Covid-19 ignored presidential edicts, he frightened those around him into agreeing it looked the way he said it did. As his power and influence ebbs away the pressure of reality is starting to push in upon him, and it hurts.

There is no doubt that he will continue to lash out. His irresponsible thrashing may well cause significant damage and may even, unforgivably, cause further deaths. He will not achieve his goal however, indeed, every outrage, every irrational outburst is reducing his credibility and isolating him.

He is of course the most powerful man on earth until noon on 20 January. I for one will not breathe easy until that moment comes. I draw some comfort from the fact some of his most loyal supporters show signs of growing up. It is, however, long past time they started to become the adults in the room.

President Trump lost the election and he is now losing the transition. His erstwhile loyal followers need to understand this and move from verbal condemnation to action. In truth they bear a heavy responsibility for what has happened. But Trump is sui generis and nothing should detract from the current priority of preventing him doing further damage to the United States and the world and seeing him out of office.

It is time to bring this tragic farce to an end.