January Sets the Stage
In the manner of all true sociopaths under extreme stress, Donald Trump is becoming increasingly unhinged and lashing out with reckless abandon. His rabid twitter feed has long been fully weaponized and used mercilessly to destroy any opposition, as well as promote the delusional, self-aggrandizing narrative he prefers. Any attempt to limit his aroused intent is met with escalating aggression, with no thought of the collateral damage in its wake. Trump truly cannot cope with not getting what he wants, when he wants it.
Moreover, although our president styles himself the greatest of all negotiators, he is, in actuality, an extortionist, with a decades-long history of this pattern. There is no give and take or compromise, there are only the demands that must be met or else. Back in his New York real estate days, whether it was a threat to ruin someone’s reputation or destroy their financial security or bog them down in disastrous, endless lawsuits, the purpose was always to crush the opposition in order to get his way. More recently, Republicans in Congress are intimidated with the possible destruction of their careers if he doesn’t get their full support. And currently, with the nearly limitless power of the presidency backing him, Trump has closed down part of the government and threatens to shut the Southern Border just to get his wall money, consequences for the citizens be damned. The comparison to the proverbial mob boss, one who will burn down your store or rape your daughter if you don’t give him his monthly protection money, comes to mind. It is as clear as the bright sun at noon that Trump has become the Extortionist-in-Chief, and we should proclaim it loudly for all to hear.
Astrologically speaking, January is a month to watch. After January 9, we move away from the transit of Neptune conjunct the US progressed Sun (now at 14Pisces15) that has been plaguing the country since the 2016 campaign. This configuration has highlighted the hyperbolic, emotional, delusional fog that has been drenching the national psyche for nearly three years, with Trump (the Sun/president) at its core. There will be other Neptune transits coming into play over the next two years, so the pervasive dishonesty of Trump and the enthralling of the base will continue to some extent, but we will begin to see some dissipation of this blurring of the lines between reality and delusion and between illegal and legal. In other words, we can reasonably hope that Special Council Mueller and the Democrats in Congress, as well as the legal system in general, will attempt to re-institute the healthy boundaries upon which a sane and functioning society depends.
It is likely that the imposition of the rules of reality after a period of operating under the delusional guideposts of Trump’s inner imperative will bring some level of pain to the nation. None of his policies – the tax cuts, the tariffs, the abandonment of allies and treaties, the viciousness towards immigrants – have been based on careful consideration of the consequences. The price may soon come due, as Saturn moves into its next phase of operation. And January is the month to watch to begin to understand how this shift will take place.
Initially, Saturn will semisquare the US Moon (27Aquarius12) from January 1 to January 8, which may have to do with the complications and difficulties caused by the government shutdown, among other potential stressors. This transit implies some amount of suffering and difficulty for some segment of the US population. This will be followed by the crossing of Saturn opposite the US Sun (13Cancer19) from January 9 through January 18, a transit that points to significant difficulty and reality shock for the president. Although I am not at all suggesting anything similar will happen, it should be noted that former President Nixon resigned when transiting Saturn was conjunct the US Sun on August 8, 1974. This transit therefore describes the intense feeling of pressure likely to be felt by the president (the sun) during the middle of January.
But perhaps most significant of all will be the last ten or so days of January. At this time, Saturn will move into the first crossing of 14 Capricorn, an area it will return to in August, September and much of October 2019. Thus, stressful events in late January will give us a hint of the more profound and impactful events to come in the summer and fall of the year. The late January Saturn transit will affect Trump’s chart, the composite chart between Trump and the US, and the US chart.
In Trump’s chart, we find the transit of Saturn in a sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) with Trump’s Ascendant (29Leo55). This will return for a long, slow burn from July 28 through October 23, 2019. It suggests possible health issues, a sense of being uncomfortably restricted from his usual activities, and irritability and depression.
The Saturn transit to the Trump/US composite chart will oppose the composite Node (13Cancer42) and the composite Venus (14Cancer25) from January 19 to January 27. This transit will negatively impact Trump’s appeal and popularity, even among his base. The long, slow transit coming in the summer (August 4 to October 13) will primarily impact the composite Venus, likely shrinking his level of support.
In the US chart, transiting Saturn will be moving to square US 10th house Saturn (14Libra48) from January 22 to January 30, and again from July 29 to October 22, 2019. This transit points to a humiliation of some kind or a defeat on the world stage and will be a blow to America’s reputation in the world. Again, we will get a hint of what to expect later in the year during the first crossing in late January. If American efforts were to actually flow from the country living up to the best potential of a 10th house Saturn, humbly serving the world in a selfless and generous way, the results would likely be different. But the inevitable arrogance and attempt to extort others to the will of the current president will probably set up this coming transit as one of significant humiliation and defeat. The progressed US Moon square to natal Saturn from August 15 to September 15, 2019, suggests that there will be a period of grief, loss and sorrow impacting US citizens as a part of this unfolding drama.
Unfortunately, from mid-February through much of May 2019, many of these issues may be covered over for a brief period. Transiting Jupiter will be on Trump’s South Node (20Sagittarius48), Moon (21Sagittarius12), and opposite Trump’s Sun (22Gemini55) during this time. His optimism, confidence, and likely recklessness will be restored. March 1 to March 11 and April 26 to May16 will be especially dangerous due to stronger megalomania and recklessness than normal (transiting Jupiter opposite and transiting Pluto quincunx Trump’s Sun). My concern is that this period in the spring will set us up for the possibility of some irresponsible military action from late June through early September that will result in the humiliation and disaster described above during the Saturn station. Significant aggression, with the US military in some way involved, is suggested with the station of Uranus semisquare US Mars (21Gemini23) from June 18 to September 5, as well as the station of Pluto quincunx US Mars from June 24 to August 5. None of this bodes well with the Saturn station looming at the same time.
