Donald Trump’s political career has been defined by episodes that might have been career-ending for others

U.S: Former President Donald Trump’s political career has been shaped by incidents that, for some, may have ended their career, ranging from criminal prosecutions to a record two impeachments.

However, the most recent polling data from Siena College and the New York Times indicates that the former president is maintaining a narrow lead over his opponent, 48 percent to 47 percent, demonstrating the tenacity of his support base.

Teflon Don—to whom nothing sticks for too long—has gained notoriety for his extraordinary ability to weather controversies, and his political tenacity begs the issue of what matters to American voters in the real world.

Entrepreneur of the Center for Politics and University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato claims that Trump “has been judged from the beginning by a separate set of standards from regular politicians.”

“Even though he spent his pre-presidential life in New York, he benefits from ‘Hollywood metrics,'” Sabato told media report. “Multiple wives, sordid affairs, anything-goes ethics—most people assume this is the norm for the star of The Apprentice.”

Trump has chosen to “attack, attack, attack – never defend” when his remarks and deeds have put him in hot water, taking a cue from his longtime political associate Roger Stone.

Last week, during a campaign visit to Arlington Cemetery, Trump staffers were accused by U.S. Army authorities of “abruptly” shoving aside an official. Trump chose to ignore the accusation, saying it was just another “made up story” by Democrats.

According to Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump White House assistant, “that’s classic ‘Trumpism,'” she told media report on Tuesday. “You just have to double down, you can’t admit fault.”

Though none of the many controversies have yet to prove lethal, Trump’s actions have put his career on the verge of collapse several times.

The Tape “Grab Them”

Just one month before he won the presidency, in October 2016, a recording surfaced that many thought would be the decisive factor for Clinton in a contest that was already heavily centered upon gender.

The Washington Post was able to get a video from 2005 in which Trump boasts to Access Hollywood host Billy Bush about his ability to entice married women.

Trump claimed to have “moved on” from the incident “like a b—h,” then went on to discuss how celebrities’ fame allows them to do almost anything.

“They let you do it when you’re famous. It’s all up to you,” Trump said. “Take them by the ass. You’re capable of anything.”

Leading Democrats and Republicans alike denounced the leaked recording, Trump revoked his invitation to a planned campaign event in Wisconsin, and the Republican National Committee temporarily suspended its “Victory” program, which was committed to his election.

But Trump weathered the storm and launched an assault, taking aim at his opponent’s husband: “This was just private banter from years ago in the locker room. On the golf course, Bill Clinton has said even worse things to me.”

Joking with a Disabled Journalist

Months into his first campaign, in November 2015, Trump seemed to make fun of a reporter’s disabilities during a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Trump said at a prior speech that he saw “thousands and thousands” of Muslims in New Jersey enjoying the aftermath of the September 11 World Trade Center attacks.

The Trump campaign used an article by Serge Kovaleski and Fredrick Kunkle from the Washington Post to support their disputed claim. The authors wrote: “Law enforcement authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river.”

“I definitely do not remember anyone saying that thousands or even hundreds of people were celebrating,” Kovaleski subsequently said. To the best of my memory, that was not the case.”

A scandal broke out during the event in November when Trump lifted his hands and did a Kovaleski impersonation.

“You have to watch this man. He’s like, ‘I dunno what I said. “Uhh, I don’t remember,” he said, unable to recall. Perhaps that is what I stated.

Kovaleski’s right arm and hand are contractured due to arthrogryposis, a congenital disorder. Trump’s mockery of Kovaleski’s health drew harsh criticism.

In an August 2016 Bloomberg survey, people chose the event as his most heinous transgression, yet Trump would not accept responsibility for his behavior.

Rather than that, he maintained that he was mimicking the reporter’s “groveling,” that he was unaware of Kovaleski’s condition, and that he “would never” make fun of someone’s handicap.

“Blood” Megyn Kelly’s Comments

After the first Republican primary debate in 2015, Trump became embroiled in one of the most notable scandals of his career.

“You call women you don’t like ‘fat pigs,’ ‘dogs,’ ‘slobs,’ and ‘disgusting animals,'” Megyn Kelly of Fox News stated to Trump before to a query about his dubious appeal to female voters.

While his widely shared reaction of “only Rosie O’Donnell” was extensively shared, his remarks after the discussion caused the most controversy.

“She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions,” Trump told media report. It was evident that blood was oozing from her eyes and other body parts. I thought she was off base.

The statement was met with criticism, with BBC News correspondent Anthony Zurcher posing the question, “Could this be the moment Donald Trump has finally gone too far?” notwithstanding Trump’s subsequent clarification that he was referring to Kelly’s nose and was not suggesting that her direct inquiries were the product of menstrual cycle hormones.

Trump was also kicked out of a conference in Atlanta that RedState, a conservative political forum, was hosting as a result of his remarks.

“I’ve got my wife here, I have my daughter here, and I have 800 friends here,” RedState anchor Erick Erickson said at the conference. This is a family-friendly program, so I’m not sure I want him at my event if he won’t explain that this isn’t what he meant.”

Insulting a family with gold stars

Following his formal announcement as the Republican contender for the 2016 presidential contest, Trump seemed to defy a political taboo by disparaging a Gold Star family.

Two prominent attendees of the 2016 Democratic National Convention were Khizr and Ghazala Khan, whose son Humayun Khan was murdered in 2004 by a vehicle bomb while serving as an American Army officer in Iraq.

In his remarks, Khizr attacked Trump’s demands for a halt to Muslim immigration to the United States.

“Hillary Clinton was right when she called my son the best of America,” Khan stated. “If it was up to Donald Trump, he never would have been in America.”

Trump responded by drawing attention away from Khizr’s wife, who was standing quietly by her husband as he charged the Republican with “consistently smearing the character of Muslims.”

His wife was standing there, if you can see her. After the convention, Trump said in an ABC interview that “she had nothing to say.” Perhaps she was not permitted to speak at all. You inform me.

Donald Trump’s comments have drawn criticism from both political parties. Ohio Governor John Kasich, for example, said on Twitter that “there’s only one way to talk about Gold Star parents: with honor and respect.”

“Donald Trump insulted the parents of a slain soldier in the last few days. He has advocated against allowing anyone similar to their son to join the country, much alone serve in its military. Following the event, Senator John McCain of Arizona released a long statement in which he said, “I cannot emphasize enough how deeply I disagree with Mr. Trump’s statement.”

“I hope Americans understand that the remarks do not represent the views of our Republican Party, its officers, or candidates.”

Declaring He Could Take a Shot and Get Away With It

As if to highlight his capacity to ignore the transgressions that had characterized his political career from the beginning, Trump quipped that his devoted followers would stick by him even if he killed someone on a busy street.

“I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?” Said Trump at a campaign event in January 2016. “It’s like incredible.”

At the time of the remarks, Trump was well ahead of the other contenders in the Republican primary.

Laughter broke out in the Iowa crowd when he made the statement, perhaps confirming his assertion. One audience member even went so far as to declare their undying love for Trump.

Trump said, “We love you, too, man.”

Could Something Take Teflon Don Apart?

“Maybe mass murder. Professor Sabato responded to Newsweek when asked what it would take for Trump’s supporters to turn away from him, saying, “Hard to think of anything else.” “And Trump would only have to refute it or provide a weak defense if he were seen carrying a burning AR-15. His followers would accuse one another of setting everything up on social media.”

According to Sabato, the expectations for presidential candidates and American politics in general have changed as a result of Trump’s eight years of being embroiled in controversies and then emerging victorious.

This shift has been so profound that, in his opinion, Donald Trump’s influence will last long after the president hangs up his hat.

“There are many Trump substitutes, including members of his family and JD Vance, waiting in the wings,” he claimed. “They’ll demand the same tolerance and will likely get it.”