Trudeau thought he could ‘pull a final rabbit out of the hat’ until recently: former advisor [Video]

Justin Trudeau’s self-confidence and stubbornness helped his rise to power almost a decade ago, but those traits also played a role in his downfall, says a former close advisor.

“I’ve long had a theory about prime ministers, that none of them ever retire if they think they can win another election,” Gerald Butts, who was once one of the prime minister’s closest advisors.

“And I think that up until a few weeks ago, Mr. Trudeau thought he might be able to pull a final rabbit out of the hat of his political career. But after Chrystia Freeland resigned, I think he finally realized that it was time.”

Trudeau announced Monday that he will resign as prime minister once the Liberal Party chooses a new leader. Parliament has been prorogued until March 24, but opposition leaders have pledged to bring a non-confidence motion at the earliest opportunity, aiming to trigger a federal election.

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