Donald Trump Unleashes Fierce Attack on Hidden Threats, But Who Are These Enemies from Within?

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - As the days dwindle down to the wire in the presidential campaign, Donald Trump is taking aim at his perceived enemies within the Republican Party. These are people he believes are secretly working to undermine his campaign and deny him the White House. Despite the advice of his allies to refrain from lashing out against these alleged insiders, Trump continues to take verbal potshots at them.

So, who exactly are these 'enemies from within' that Trump believes are trying to torpedo his campaign? They're not the obvious foes like Hillary Clinton or President Barack Obama, whom Trump delights in criticizing on the campaign trail. Instead, they’re supposed allies within the Republican Party who Trump perceives as not fully committed to his cause.

It all started when Paul Ryan, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, announced that he would no longer defend Trump after the release of a damaging 2005 video recording in which Trump made lewd and disparaging comments about women. Trump has never forgiven Ryan for what he perceives as betrayal, and their relationship has been strained ever since.

However, Trump’s enemies list extends far beyond Ryan. It includes many prominent Republicans who either failed to endorse his candidacy or who publicly denounced his comments after the video surfaced. Trump sees these people as part of a larger conspiracy to deny him the Republican nomination or - even worse - undermine his presidency if he wins.

There’s little doubt that Trump’s grievances against his perceived enemies within the party are taking a toll on his campaign. In recent days, Trump’s message has been disjointed and unfocused, veering unpredictably between attacks on his Republican enemies and denunciations of Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent.

Yet for Trump, the impulse to lash out at his enemies from within seems irresistible. Trump genuinely believes that if not for these Republican insiders working to sabotage his campaign, he would be running away with the election.

The trouble for Trump is that his Republican 'enemies' are largely in hiding now, unwilling to fuel Trump’s conspiracy theories by speaking out publicly against him. That has left Trump stuck in the unfortunate position of shadowboxing against phantoms in the twilight days of the campaign.

The most pressing question for Trump and his supporters is: will this fixation on the 'enemies from within' ultimately cost him the election? Thus far, Trump’s enemies have largely taken the high road by refusing to engage with him, choosing instead to focus on the next four years. Unfortunately for Trump, that means he's stuck punching above his weight against invisible foes.