Trump's Summer 2020: Mercury Rinse and Repeat

Image: Moonrise at the Crossroads

Mercury: the Trader, Traitor, Salesman, and Trickster Awaiting at the Crossroads

by Jude Cowell

When it comes to transactional planet Mercury in the natal horoscope of Donald Trump, a few first things to know include its sign: Moon-ruled Cancer, and house: 11th of Groups, Associations, Hopes and Wishes. (Perhaps a review of Trump's natal Mercury is in order. It's pretty skanky so beware.) The next consideration is any aspects made to or from Mercury, what I call the 'tofu planet' because astrologically speaking, Mercury absorbs flavors or vibes of any planet it contacts. Versatile, adaptable, and changeable!

Now in Trump's case, this is his problematic Mercury-Neptune square from 11th to 2nd house. From this we find that Trump's yearly Mercury Returns repeat and emphasize the square to natal Neptune each year which denotes a period when errors, woolgathering, indiscretion, and deception come forward and the mind can play tricks (self-delusion) while fantasies take over his thoughts, communications, and plans. Needless to say, his usual tendencies toward these, plus, his misperceptions, exaggerations (boasting), and sneaky schemes will be spotlighted in June and July although I'd have a difficult time telling you when they aren't on distressing display, much to the disappointment of a majority of the American people (and the rest of the world).

Another consideration of his Mercury is which planets and houses (departments of life) Mercury disposits or rules in his radix chart. This would be his 2nd hou$e (cusp 22Vir57 conjunct US natal Neptune which squares our natal Mars) and his 11th house (cusp 29Gem18, a critical-crisis 29th degree - where transit North Node now points as it enters his 10th house of Career and Public Status). So we see that Mercury Returns for Trump always affect his 2nd and 11th houses in particular. (We also see that the speculator-fraudster pair, bubbly Jupiter and Neptune, are posited in his 2nd hou$e with his wounded/wounding Chiron snugged between them but that's beyond the scope of this Mercurial post.)

So now the question is: does Mercury rule any of Trump's natal planets?

Why yes, glad you asked! For as you know, Trump's Sun (adult personality; essence) is in Gemini, sign of the eternal child, as are his guiding planet Uranus, and North Node. As you know, his 10th house trio is always on display for the whole world to see and links him to radical reforms and political activity. Erratic Uranus, planet of chaos, shock, and disruption, is his 'guiding planet' because it is last to rise before his Sun, as we've discussed in prior posts. And of course, Gemini and technology planet Uranus relate to his constant use of Twitter to send his messages directly to a wider public (10th house)- but with plenty of misinformation, fibs, exaggerations, insults, and propaganda therein (duplicitous Gemini, ruled by trickster Mercury!).

Now with this particular Mercury Return 2020, Trump is experiencing an extended Mercurial period due to transit Mercury's retrogradation ('Rx'). Exact dates that Mercury returns to 8Can51 are June 5th (already occurred a few hours prior to the Lunar Eclipse @15Sag34), July 2 (Rx), and July 20th which brings him a transit Mars-square-natal Mercury contact that suggests potentials for frustration, anger, quarrels (especially with males), aggression, giving or receiving incorrect information or directions, and obstacles that may be encountered during travel including bad weather. On July 20th, Return Mercury is in Return 6th house and the possibility of faulty wiring could turn up which can relate to equipment or to the brain (I'm not wishing just reporting!), plus, abundant energy will be available so that ideas can be put into action, or new work methods or techniques may be implemented. Obviously, 6th house matters are spotlighted and on his mind including health, daily rounds, military, police, and/or civil service.

So to summarize what I'm subtly suggesting here, 'Mercury at the Crossroads' - the Return period which is more or less a 'new start' for Mercury The Fool - could have been sparked by Trump's recent disappointing, ego-deflating rally turnout in Tulsa, OK, with the idea that perhaps the time has arrived for his Mercurial mind take a look at itself and think about upping its game of persuasion and strategy. Maybe find new topics for his speeches because his old ones are mighty stale - and the November 2020 Election approaches stealthily on cat's paws. Not that he's self-reflective enough to do this but it is time. No, I'm not counting the coronavirus in this post nor am I focused on other planetary considerations - even his emotional, unconsciously driven Moon-SN is left out today. The only star of this post is his little Mercury, planet of speeches and voters, thought patterns, tweets, transactions, cheating, theft, and falsehoods.

So if by chance a turning point in Trump's behavior or in his campaign for 're-election' has been reached, it may be Trump's Mercury we'll have to thank. Or, more than likely given his record, to blame.

The Path of Mercury - June and July 2020: the little guy turned Retrograde @14Can45 on June 18th; on July 12th Mercury turns Direct @5Can29 (conjunct US natal Jupiter), then reaches and passes his Shadow Degree of 14Can45 on July 26, 2020.

My previous post on this topic: Trump's Mercury Return/s June into July 2020.