Astrology And Politics - Paul Manafort

The trial for Paul Manafort began this week, and I thought I’d discuss what is going on in his chart. Paul Manafort’s birthdate is April 1, 1949 in New Britain, Connecticut. I do not have his exact birth time - so, it’s difficult to make a prediction with complete accuracy and/or certainty. However, there is still much to discuss. His natal chart is at the bottom of this article. The above photo first appeared in Politico.

Mr. Manafort has four planets in early Aries - Mercury (could also be in very late Pisces), Venus, Mars, and the Sun. He also has the lunar node in late Aries. He’s quite aggressive with all those planets in Aries, and it’s seems clear that he very often does not look before he leaps. Venturing where angels fear to tread may be part of the reason that he is in such a legal jam right now. Saturn - the planet of karma and holding folks responsible for their actions - has been transiting back and forth over all those planets - except the Sun (but, it’s gotten quite close before turning retrograde).

I don’t know the exact position/degree of the Moon in his chart, but it’s located in the sign of Taurus - the sign of money and values. His natal Pluto (in “let’s do everything in a big way” Leo) is in square aspect to his natal Moon. This shows that he is willing to do whatever it takes and to cut corners to have the money and the wealth that he believes he deserves. It indicates that he will pay an intense price if he does not maintain appropriate and high values. The August 7, 2017 lunar eclipse in Aquarius hit his Pluto (by opposition).

Manafort’s natal Neptune is in opposition to his natal Sun, Mars, and Venus. It indicates his penchant for hiding his actions, for deception, and for playing fast and loose with the truth. Mercury is a part of the Aries stelium as well.

He has a YOD in his natal chart - Saturn sextiles Uranus and both planets are inconjunct Jupiter - the planet of both foreign cultures and the law. This pattern is symbolic of his troubles - or getting into trouble because of his activities - with foreign countries. And, transiting Uranus has squared his natal Jupiter (in Capricorn) and conjoined his lunar node the last couple of years. It appears that he has taken a few ill advised financial risks.

Another sign of Manafort’s troubles is found in his progressed chart. His progressed Mars is squaring his natal (and progressed) Saturn very closely. The August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse in Leo (the Great American Eclipse) hit his natal Saturn. We’re just about a year out from that eclipse now (and, the trial is moving along quite rapidly).