As 2018 ended, President Donald Trump was walled in the White House, spooked but defiant, as he faces a legal and political storm in 2019.

Scandals are swirling around Trump, his family and cohorts. Investigations have targeted Trump’s business, charitable foundation, presidential campaign, inauguration committee, and corruption in his administration. Particularly troublesome for Trump is Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s criminal investigation that includes the Trump campaign’s possible involvement in Russia’s interference with the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s blatant attempts to squelch Mueller’s probe are hardly those of a man with clean hands.

Political prognosticators are weighing the odds of Trump’s White House reality show getting canceled by his resignation or impeachment as a result of the inquiries. Betting odds issued last week by BetOnline gave Trump a 50-50 chance of being impeached by the House of Representatives – the highest odds to date.

Despite Trump’s promise to drain the swamp of corruption in Washington, he has made the swamp bigger and more toxic. Several cabinet members have left under a cloud of corruption. A number of appointees have been accused of conflicts, ethics violations or misuse of funds. So far, five men involved in Trump’s presidential campaign have confessed to crimes, including lying to the FBI.

Compounding Trump’s troubles, the Democrats have taken over the House, including its investigative committees. Armed with subpoena power, Democratic leaders say they plan to scrutinize the administration’s activities on such issues as immigration, as well as Trump’s past business ties to Russia and his personal finances, including federal tax returns.

Over the past two years, congressional Republicans protected, defended and enabled Trump as he made one misstep after another. These include his coddling of Russian President Vladimir Putin; his atrocious treatment of U.S. allies; his incessant lying; his abusive attacks on FBI and Justice Department officials; and the merciless treatment of immigrants seeking refuge.

Some congressional Republicans will keep supporting Trump no matter what chaos he creates. But there are cracks in the wall they have built around him. Trump enablers, like House Speaker Paul Ryan, are gone. Others began squirming away from Trump after he bragged about shutting down the government for not getting taxpayer funding for his southern border wall, which he promised Mexico would finance. (Critics see the shutdown and wall as another attempt by Trump to distract from his legal woes.)

Several key Republicans slammed Trump’s recent announcement to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria. The abrupt departure of Defense Secretary James Mattis, who opposed Trump’s action regarding Syria, drew more criticism of the president. A U.S pullout from Syria would be considered a win for Russia, Iran, Turkey and Islamic State terrorists.

Putin was quoted as saying he backed Trump’s plan to leave Syria. How long can Republicans allow Trump to get away with appeasing Putin? It should make any patriotic American queasy.

It also should worry Americans that Trump made his decision about Syria after speaking by phone to Turkey’s strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to news reports. U.S. troops have been in Syria fighting Islamic State terrorists, alongside allies, including the Kurds. Turkey considers the Kurds enemies. With the U.S. gone, there are fears the Islamic State would make a comeback, and Turkey’s military would massacre the Kurds. While bringing our troops home sounds appealing, as a strategic matter it sends our allies a message that they can’t trust America to have their backs. Moreover, it emboldens Russia, Iran and terrorists.

How long will Republicans silently endure Trump’s antics and ineptness at home and abroad? What sordid acts will investigators need to uncover before Republicans finally turn against Trump for good? We may very well find out in 2019.