I don't think it was designed to take down Trump, it was Smollet's attempt at trading in his failing acting career to become the next generation's Jessie Jackson.
He is/was friends with Kamala Harris and the hoax occurred just before Harris and Booker had an anti lynching bill get voted on. This stunt was to draw attention to the white supremacist lie that lynching still occurs and new laws are needed.
And of course his narcissist personality that he is such a good actor he could pull the stunt off and raise his political stock.
I don't think it was designed to take down Trump, it was Smollet's attempt at trading in his failing acting career to become the next generation's Jessie Jackson.
He is/was friends with Kamala Harris and the hoax occurred just before Harris and Booker had an anti lynching bill get voted on. This stunt was to draw attention to the white supremacist lie that lynching still occurs and new laws are needed.
And of course his narcissist personality that he is such a good actor he could pull the stunt off and raise his political stock.