Hard to believe, but on June 16, it will be ten years since Donald J. Trump rolled down that golden escalator in Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for US president, setting in motion a disruption in our political life as a nation the likes of which we’ve never seen before (to use one of Trump’s favorite catch-phrases). As always, the moment encapsulates the future, crystalizing latent potential into manifestation.
Not surprisingly, on 16 June 2015, the Sun and asteroid Donn 4689 were exactly conjunct, at 25 Gemini, placing Donald Trump (Donn) firmly in the spotlight (Sun). With this pair are asteroids Golden 4423 and Tantalus 2102, at 22 and 23 Gemini respectively. Golden calls to mind the golden escalator Trump used to make his entrance; Tantalus is named for a mythic Greek king noted for the commission of heinous acts, an early warning signal pointing to the effects of a Trump administration (think family separation in Trump 1.0, deportation without due process to foreign prisons and global economic tariff turmoil in Trump 2.0). Also here is TNO Chaos 19521 at 19 Gemini, noted for creating anarchy, disruption and turmoil. Trump was born with Chaos squared the Sun, a natural agent of disorder, and the transiting point would continue to bedevil his 22 Gemini Sun (and all of us by extension) by conjunction throughout his first term.
Most telling is asteroid Troemper 28130 (our celestial referent for The Donald). At 9 Sagittarius, Troemper opposes Mercury at 5 Gemini, perfect for a public announcement and speech from Trump. Neptune at 9 Pisces forms a T-Square, adding in elements of fanaticism from supporters and a general air of dishonesty, fraud, deception and lies. Trump sports a natal Mercury/Neptune square, so again, as with Chaos, this is fertile ground for him, home turf on which he feels supremely comfortable.
This picture is fleshed out further by asteroids Toro 1685 and Hybris 430 at 6 and 9 Sagittarius conjoined Troemper, with centaur Asbolus 8405 and asteroid Swindle 8690 at 9 and 11 Gemini, conjoined Mercury. Toro relates to bullying, intimidation, and out-of-control machismo; Hybris is named for the Greek goddess of prideful arrogance, the root of our word “hubris,” meaning “excessive pride or self-confidence.” Together, in tandem with Troemper, these form a remarkably accurate thumbnail sketch of Donald Trump’s character.
Asbolus is named for a seer who divined the future from the flight patterns of birds; it relates to connecting with the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times, having one’s finger on the pulse of events. Trump certainly connected with the mood of the country, and had the measure of the masses, exemplified in his rabid populism (a Mercury arena). Swindle here is self-explanatory. Reporting suggests that Trump thought of his 2016 presidential run more as a branding exercise, a chance to increase his bottom line and rope in a few more suckers to the Trump circus; no one was more surprised than he when he won.
Another triple conjunction creates a full-fledged Grand Cross of this pattern. Formed from asteroids Nike 307, Icarus 1566 and Panacea 2878 at 2, 3 and 5 Virgo, this symbolizes the success to come (Nike, named for the Greek goddess of victory), the impulsivity and rashness (Icarus), and the desire for a “quick fix” (Panacea) for their problems from the downtrodden American working class, which Trump offered (recall his nomination acceptance speech, averring that “I alone can fix it.”).
There are presentiments of things to come in the chart as well. An opposition from Uranus at 19 Aries to asteroid TRIUMF 14959 at 13 Libra (named for an acronym of a Canadian science research facility, but operating well as a phonetic match for “triumph,” an unqualified success) hints at an unexpected, startling, even shocking (all Uranus) and controversial (also Uranus) victory (TRIUMF). Pluto at 14 Capricorn forms a T-Square, and alludes to the overt criminality of the administration, its coercion and manipulation, and insatiable quest for power (all Pluto attributes).
A remarkable quintuple conjunction of Jupiter with asteroids Nemesis 128, America 916, Whitehouse 4036 and Washingtonia 886 at 19, 21, 23, 26 and 27 Leo opposes Damocles 5335 at 24 Aquarius, T-Squared by Saturn at 29 Scorpio. Jupiter rules politics; Nemesis is known as the bringer of ruin and destruction; America, Whitehouse and Washingtonia are all markers for the country (America), the presidency (Whitehouse) and the federal government (Washingtonia); Damocles indicates the threat or peril hanging unseen overhead, about to descend at any moment; and Saturn again suggests the government and chief executives. Put it all together, and it forms a flashing red light warning of Trump’s effect on the nation and its institutions should his electoral gambit succeed.
The truth of that warning has been validated time and again in the decade since, with Americans more divided politically than ever, a botched pandemic response that cost more than a million lives, armed insurrection at the US Capitol, hate crimes on the rise, and global economic disruption.
All stemming from that 20-foot glide on the golden escalator, which, significantly, was headed down.
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 .
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