渴望

As of earlier this month, former President Donald Trump’s political action committee, Save America, had already spent more than $40 million dating back to 2021 on his legal fees stemming from dozens of federal and state charges related to his mishandling of classified documents and hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, among many other things.

The costs were so staggering that the leadership PAC, which has been bankrolling Trump’s legal defense, also reportedly requested a refund on a $60 million contribution – signaling it knew those fees were set to balloon.

Now, the twice-impeached former president is staring down 91 criminal charges stemming from four indictments – the latest of which also names 18 of his closest allies as co-defendants in a sprawling racketeering scheme in Georgia to spread conspiracy theories, pressure elected officials and prop up fake electors in an attempt to remain in power despite having lost the 2020 presidential election in a free and fair vote.

The 18 co-defendants include former Trump administration officials, such as former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark, and a host of high-profile attorneys – among them, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis.

But the list also includes much lesser known individuals – a former public school teacher, a pastor, a publicist, a bond bail businessman – all of whom put their personal lives and professional careers on the line for Trump and now want to know who will cover their legal fees.

“While you may know me as an alternate elector and former County GAGOP Chair, I am also a retired public school teacher living on a teacher's pension,” Cathy Lathom, one of the co-defendants, posted to a crowdfunding website she’s using to raise money.

Lathom, former GOP chairwoman for Coffee County and a member of the Georgia Republican Party's executive committee, was indicted for her role as a fake elector and for allowing unauthorized forensics experts and Trump allies to examine voting systems in Coffee County for an extended period.

“I am asking for your help today to help me cover legal fees during this time,” she wrote. At the time of publication she’s received $3,905 in donations out of the $500,000 she’s attempting to raise.

Trump, who has a checkered history of paying in full for his own legal defenses, appeared open to helping Giuliani cover at least a portion of his legal fees. According to reporting from The New York Times, Trump has directed more than $340,000 to help with what’s expected to be a $3 million tab – though that was only after multiple attempts by Giuliani, his lawyers and his son to secure such support.

But Trump has yet to announce any type of aid for others caught up in his attempt to undermine the 2020 election, despite the fact that he’s been campaigning and fundraising off his mounting legal woes. His various PACs, Save America and Make American Great Again, also known as MAGA Inc, have similarly been mum on the issue.

Ellis, who had raised $92,515 at the time of this publication through a crowdfunding site to support her legal defense, took to social media earlier this week to call out Trump.

“I was reliably informed Trump isn’t funding any of us who are indicted,” she said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "Would this change if he becomes the nominee? Why then, not now?”

“Why isn’t MAGA, Inc. funding everyone’s defense?”

9月3日，一艘土耳其护卫舰停靠以色列北部港口城市海法。据悉，这是北约地中海演习计划的一部分，也是自2010年以来土耳其海军舰艇首次停靠以色列港口。

二 | 历史上，土耳其曾是以色列在中东地区的重要战略伙伴。1948年，以色列宣布建国后，土耳其是第一个承认以色列的伊斯兰国家。随后，两国建立伙伴关系。近年来，因两国在巴勒斯坦、库尔德、东地中海油气开发等问题上存在重大分歧，导致双方关系波折不断。2018年，美国驻以色列大使馆从特拉维夫迁至耶路撒冷，引发巴勒斯坦民众大规模抗议示威，并与以军发生冲突。土耳其随后召回驻以大使，并驱逐以色列大使及驻伊斯坦布尔总领事，土以关系陷入低谷。直至今年6月，随着以色列新政府上台，两国开始加大接触力度。8月17日，以色列总理办公室发表声明，宣布与土耳其恢复外交关系，将重新互派大使和总领事。此次以色列允许土耳其军舰停靠，是两国关系改善的重要举措。土以关系不断升温，符合双方现阶段的利益诉求。对以色列而言，土耳其是中东地区大国和北约成员国，以色列与其保持良好关系，可获得与北约加强合作的契机。以色列国防军在近日发布的一份声明中称，此次允许土方护卫舰停靠海法，是以色列与北约合作的一部分，充分显示了以方对北约的支持。此外，在伊核协议谈判取得进展之际，以色列也希望借此拉拢更多国家孤立伊朗。对于土耳其而言，因此前较为强硬的对外政策引发中东多国不满，为改善处境，土耳其从2020年起开始调整政策，主动与包括以色列在内的地区国家修复关系。同时，以色列是美国的铁杆盟友，与其实现关系正常化可以促进土耳其与美国关系的改善，从而获取更多利益。

三 | 从未来发展趋势看，虽然在各自利益诉求和发展需要的驱动下，土以两国都在为恢复两国关系努力，但这并不意味着两国关系可以快速升温。两国仍然在多个重要议题、特别是巴勒斯坦问题上存在重大分歧。土耳其外长恰武什奥卢表示，土以互派大使并不意味着土方放弃在巴勒斯坦问题上的立场。此举表明土耳其虽有意愿与以色列重归旧好，但仍将巴以问题视为双边关系的“政治红线”。在此情况下，两国关系升温势头能否持久，还有待观察。（作者系国防科技大学国际关系学院副教授 方晓志）