For Trump, unity means complete submission. That will be on full display at the RNC.

Promises of a “new tone” from former President Donald Trump in the wake of a horrific attempt on his life at a weekend rally lasted a predictably short time.

By Monday morning, after a federal judge he appointed while president dismissed the classified documents case against him, Trump posted this on social media:

“As we move forward in Uniting our Nation after the horrific events on Saturday, this dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts ‒ The January 6th Hoax in Washington, D.C., the Manhattan D.A.’s Zombie Case, the New York A.G. Scam, Fake Claims about a woman I never met (a decades old photo in a line with her then husband does not count), and the Georgia ‘Perfect’ Phone Call charges. The Democrat Justice Department coordinated ALL of these Political Attacks, which are an Election Interference conspiracy against Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME. Let us come together to END all Weaponization of our Justice System, and Make America Great Again!”

The new tone sounds much like the old tone. Aggrieved. Conspiratorial. Insulting.

Talk of unity at Republican National Convention means fealty to Trump

As the Republican National Convention begins and Americans await a likely announcement of Trump's vice presidential pick, it’s important that we understand what “unity” means to the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, who happens to also be a convicted felon and an adjudicated rapist.

It means complete submission to Donald Trump.

It means Donald Trump is always right and gets everything he wants.

It means that America can only be united if Donald Trump is happy.

The Republican Party has given itself fully to Trump

The Republican Party has fully submitted, and the convention will reflect that, from the party’s wildly Trumpian new platform to the lineup of loyalists, many who once ran against or fiercely criticized Trump but have since bent the knee and vanquished their own sense of integrity.

GOP starts rhetoric after shooting: Republican reaction to Trump shooting only sows more division. Our leaders must stop it.

Talk of unity doesn’t mesh with the MAGA tone, so according to NBC News, speakers at this week’s Republican convention were told not to change their planned speeches after the shooting.

All will do as they're told because Trump has unified the Republican Party, meaning he has cowed virtually all Republicans into fearing him and doing exactly as he says.

Trump is protected by God, but victims of horrific shootings are not?

Saturday’s assassination attempt – again, a horrendous moment in American history, one that should prompt everyone to seek unity in some kind of middle ground – led many MAGA-dosed Republicans to go fully messianic.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida posted a photo of Trump on social media with the words: “God protected President Trump.” That naturally implies God opted not to protect Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old who was shot and killed as he dove to protect his family members at the rally. What kind of twisted devotion prompts such a narrow-minded thought?

It’s submission. It’s obsequiousness. And that has always been what Trump demands. That is his path to unity.

You won’t hear speakers at this week’s convention saying the 2020 presidential election was fair and legitimate. You won’t hear anyone suggesting Trump’s plan to round up millions of immigrants is extreme.

But you will hear ample talk of unity in the wake of what was absolutely a national tragedy. Unity for whom?

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Unity requires modulation and a middle ground

I’m all for unity. President Joe Biden over the weekend spoke with Trump by phone and gave an address to the nation calling on us not to let our political differences divide us in ways that lead to violence.

But unity requires flexibility. It runs counter to demands for absolute loyalty.

Trump showed us Monday, as he has shown throughout his life, that he knows only one path to loyalty: The path that takes him exactly where he wants to go. The path to submission.

I, for one, decline to submit.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's classified document case response shows he hasn't changed