[Editor’s note: we are delighted to publish this article by Alex Miller, with thanks to Alex and his website, Alex’s Asteroid Astrology, an incomparable resource for asteroid-related astrology. There you’ll find in-depth astrological analyses of breaking events, as well as the astrological meanings of many mythic named asteroids.]
It’s that time again, the astrological preview of the White House’s upcoming year. Like any other entity, living and breathing or not, the Trump Administration has a “birth” chart, and thus, an annual solar return, which gives us a cosmic weather forecast for the year ahead. This one is cast for 5:30 AM EST on January 21, 2020 (hereafter abbreviated “SR”), in Washington DC. Old Sol isn’t quite as reliable as we’d like, and sometimes returns to his birth degree and minute a day before or after the actual anniversary, in this case, January 20.
Always at 0 Aquarius, this year the Sun has only a conjunction with Mercury at 7 Aquarius to accompany it. We could view that as a “year of words”, and there will certainly be plenty of those, in a re-election year. What type of words, you ask?
Well, let’s see – there’s a Grand Cross of that Sun/Mercury, opposed TNO Varuna at 2 Leo, and squared Uranus with asteroid Lie at 2 and 10 Taurus, and TNO Rhadamanthus at 2 Scorpio. Varuna shows the administration highly focused on its legacy – is this to be one term or two? Is Trump a failed, impeached president, or the “comeback kid”? How will history view him, villain or victor? The square to Rhadamanthus, named for a mythic judge of the dead noted for his scrupulous honesty but strict adherence to the law, suggests that history’s verdict will be harsh, but fair.
It’s that Uranus/Lie which is problematic. It suggests shocking, incendiary language, volatile and controversial, and not fact-based. Rather, with Mercury squared Lie, the administration’s every pronouncement has to be examined extremely carefully; nothing can be taken at face value. Or, we could do this the easy way and just assume they’re always lying.
In addition, that Sun/Varuna opposition, the search for a legacy, forms the spine of a Kite pattern crafted from a Grand Trine which includes asteroids Mitchella at 26 Taurus and Nemesis, Whitehouse, and Nancy at 26 Virgo, 0 Libra and 4 Libra respectively. All these points are embedded at station, making them huge drivers of the year, standout factors in Season Four. Nemesis turned retrograde January 17, just three days before the SR; Mitchella turned direct a week prior, on January 14; Nancy turns retro on January 28, a week later; while Whitehouse brings up the rear on January 30. But all points are at their station degrees in the Solar Return, and thus in the zone of change
We see here the importance of both the Senate Majority Leader (asteroid Mitchella, for Mitch McConnell) and the House Speaker (asteroid Nancy, for Nancy Pelosi) in crafting the administration’s legacy. These are the twin poles of Trump’s destiny in 2020; Nancy being “on site”, as it were, actually conjoined Whitehouse, gives Pelosi the edge in close combat, and with Nemesis also conjunct Whitehouse and trined the Solar Return Sun, the outlook is bleak. Nemesis acts to cut down to size those mere mortals who have exceeded their bounds, pushed the limits, or acted unjustly, in order to redress the imbalance. Even Mitchella is tainted with Nemesis’ brush, as it lies in exact trine to it: McConnell’s continued support is not definite; he could turn his coat at any time.
Also at station, but too far wide of a solar trine to be considered part of the Kite, are asteroids Senator and Johnny at 17 and 19 Virgo, which together describe the Impeachment trial in the Senate (Senator), presided over by Chief Justice John Roberts (Johnny), which will be in full swing as the SR kicks in. Senator changed direction on January 10, Johnny on January 18, both heading rearward. But imagine that cluster, in isolation, as it relates to impeachment: points reflecting the defendant (Whitehouse), the prosecutor (Nancy), the judge (Johnny) and jury (Senator), all aligned with a point noted for bringing ruin and downfall (Nemesis), and within 17 degrees of the zodiac. Quite remarkable!
The SR Sun is also still within orb of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction, now at 23 Capricorn and conjoined exactly by asteroid Kassandra. Conjunct these (but too wide of the Sun itself) are asteroids Icarus at 17 Cap and Truth at 20. Let’s break that down.
Saturn/Pluto with the Sun repeats the 2019 theme of asteroid Troemper enmeshed with them, and now applies it directly to the administration for the following year. In essence, the restrictions, limitations, criticism and punishments (all Saturn) for criminal behaviors and corruption (both Pluto), with all the attendant devastating consequences (also Pluto), are leaving the sphere of Trump personally and being translated to his workplace. The effect here is to include all associates, underlings, and cohorts within the scope of Trump’s criminality and its punishment, spreading the net wider to encompass the entire administration. Nobody skates.
Kassandra here is pivotal, as dealing with the issue of credibility and trustworthiness. Trump himself has long since eroded any spark of Kassandra’s qualities from his evaluation by his personal and professional behavior. Beyond a relatively small core base, no one, nationally or internationally, believes a word he says, with good reason. The question now becomes, can anyone in the administration pull his or her fat from the fire, and salvage a sense of integrity or honor from the wreckage? Think of Kassandra as the arbiter here, while Saturn and Pluto scour the administration, searching for an honest person, like Diogenes with his lantern. Can anybody pass Kassandra’s smell test?
Icarus and Truth have their input, too. Truth here defines what Saturn and Pluto are questing for – honesty, integrity, adherence to fact over fiction or hyperbole. Icarus shows the problem: rash, reckless actions taken and words uttered, heedless of the consequences; an inability to follow good advice; disregard for the realities of a situation. Natally, the Trump administration has Icarus exactly conjoined its Sun, which is pretty much all you need to know to understand it.
With Saturn/Pluto/Kassandra at its fulcrum, there is a precise T-Square extending to TNO (Trans-Neptunian Object) Eris at 23 Aries, opposed asteroid McConnell at 23 Libra, which closely conjoins the 22 Libra Midheaven. Eris represents strife and discord, as well as dispossessed, alienated, undervalued or marginalized populations. In 2016, Trump was able to capitalize on many individuals who saw themselves in this position to eke out his victory. Now, with Eris in a broad square to the SR Sun, these people may be less disposed to support him.
Mitch McConnell’s importance to the year is underscored by his eponymous asteroid squaring Saturn/Pluto (loosely translated as “crime and punishment”) and its placement at the MC, making it the most elevated point in the chart. This marks McConnell as the focus of all eyes, able to affect the administration’s status, reputation and standing in the world (MC). As Mitch goes, so goes the nation. But just how will Mitch go? McConnell opposed Eris suggests that he’s as disgruntled and discontented as the next man by Trump’s antics; his phlegmatic, unflappable, orderly demeanor must chafe horribly at each new assault on constitutional norms and practices by the President. How much more is he willing to take?
McConnell’s exact trine to asteroid Troemper at 23 Aquarius suggests he’s not quite ready to withdraw his support, but Troemper’s traveling companions Damocles and Achilles, at 24 and 29 Aquarius respectively, illuminate McConnell’s problem. Trump is weakened, exposed and vulnerable (all Achilles), with potential doom hanging over his head (Damocles). Once McConnell determines that the game is up, and Trump’s wounds are mortal, he’ll shift his stance so fast, heads will spin. He’ll switch allegiance from the McConnell/Troemper trine to the Mitchella/Nemesis trine before you can say “realpolitik.” The potential for either outcome is inherent in this chart, with Mitch McConnell able to play both sides of the fence; we can only wait on events to see which way the cosmic cat jumps. (With McConnell’s oft-commented-upon turtle-like appearance, we might better cast him as the world-supporting tortoise of Hindu myth, carrying the weight of the administration’s future.)
As with Eris squared the Sun, a combination of Mars with the Moon at 12 and 19 Sagittarius also suggests a disgruntled, not to say angry, electorate, as well as one which is very engaged in the process, energized and agitated. With the Moon conjoined asteroid Veritas (Latin for “truth”) at 25 Sagittarius and squared Nemesis at 26 Virgo, these folks want straight talk, they want answers, and they’ll come down like a ton of bricks on anyone they perceive as dishonest or playing games. This pairing also squares a union of Venus and Neptune at 9 and 16 Pisces. Women (Venus) are the most disillusioned (Neptune) by the administration, and the angriest about it (Mars in square). However, Trump’s deception and fraud (Neptune) have their effect, and much of the populace feels confused, disoriented and isolated (all Neptune), without confidence in their power to alter the situation.
A number of eclipses this year have direct bearing on its outcome. On January 10, less than two weeks before the SR kicked in, a Lunar Eclipse at 20 Cancer exactly opposed the SR Truth; on December 14, six weeks after the election, a Solar Eclipse at 23 Sagittarius conjoins its Veritas. This double eclipse activation of the principle of truth and honesty is quite extraordinary, and could do more than anything else to highlight the essential division between the administration and any semblance of veracity.
A triple hit of eclipse energy in early summer showcases additional fault lines for the administration. A Lunar Eclipse at 15 Sagittarius on June 5 focuses on the SR Mars/Moon conjunction, further aggravating and activating a restive electorate, while a subsequent Solar Eclipse on June 21 exactly conjoins the SR Descendant at 0 Cancer, disrupting the administration’s relations, both domestically and on the world stage.
There is a “bonus eclipse” this year, of the lunar variety, which is less powerful in the SR chart, but strongly interacts with that of the nation. At 13 Capricorn, this eclipse gives a glancing blow to SR Icarus, perhaps compelling more rash acts or decisions (though how could we tell the difference?). But its true impact can be felt in the USA natal chart, where it exactly opposes the Sun, the heart of the nation and its self-identity, while also creating a T-Square with the USA natal Saturn at 14 Libra, symbol of the presidency itself. This strongly brings out the inherent conflict (square) between the core of the country (Sun) and its leadership (Saturn), in ways which may redound upon the General Election in the fall, to Trump’s peril.
It’s looking like the Reality TV President will have lots to grapple with as The Trump Show careens into its (hopefully) final season. But it’ll be a series finale well worth watching.
Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, whose website AlexAsteroidAstrology.com offers a trove of info on the role of asteroids in personal and mundane astrology. He is the author of The Black Hole Book (available on Amazon.com) and The Urban Wicca, former editor of “The Galactic Calendar,” and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society. His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex’s books and writings are available on his website. Alex can also be reached for comment or services at .
Leave a Reply