This is the second in a series of op-ed articles about Trump and the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election.
The president of any country is a role model and sets an example, for better or for worse. These responsibilities are just part of the job - like it or not - and they are especially important when you're president of the United States.
Honesty, integrity, civility, respect, morality, and common decency. These words are the antithesis of Trump.
Bully, narcissist, pathological liar, and "master of distraction". These words and phrases are the embodiment of Trump. But to fully understand him, you have to closely observe his behavior and pay really close attention to the words he uses when he speaks or tweets. You need to dissect his words because they speak volumes about the kind of person he really is.
Lies
On May 23, 2020, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referred to Trump as the "master of distraction". Yes, distraction is certainly one of Trump's tactics - one he uses all the time to try and control what's being reported by the media, to keep media attention on himself, and to distract from things that don't paint him in a good light.
But I think the phrases "master of deception" and "master of distortion" are even better because they describe Trump's strategy of deceiving the public, his lies, and his disinformation campaign.
George Conway (husband of Trump Counselor Kellyanne Conway) wrote an extensive article about Trump's personality and his narcissism which was published in The Atlantic on October 3, 2019. In the article George Conway said the following:
Trump is a pathological liar if ever there was one.
Source:
Conway, George. (October 3, 2019). "Unfit for Office". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
Merriam-Webster defines pathological as "being such to a degree that is extreme, excessive, or markedly abnormal", which accurately describes Trump as it relates to his lies.
I talked about Trump's lies in Part 1 of this series. You'll find examples of Trump's lies scattered throughout everything he says, and throughout every post in this series - it's a recurring theme. As I noted in Part 1, I posted an extensive, in-depth article analyzing a number of Trump's early lies on February 28, 2017 which I strongly suggest you read here.
Yes, all politicians exaggerate and lie from time to time, but Trump is in a league of his own. If you've been paying attention, you know what I'm saying is true.
The following articles shed more light on Trump and his never-ending stream of lies:
Trump's legacy: An enduring contempt for truth? | The Hill
Division
Trump is the ultimate "Divider in Chief" - a label that quite accurately describes one of his worst and most destructive traits. Surely you've heard the phrase "divide and conquer". Well, this has been Trump's strategy (whether conscious or unconscious), and it has greatly exacerbated the political divide to the point where we can no longer discuss politics in a civil way.
This strategy has also destroyed relationships within families and among friends. Stop and think about this for a moment. Think back to politics before Trump. Liberals and conservatives have always disagreed on a wide range of issues, but until Trump, at least we were able to talk about our differences with at least some degree of respect and civility. With Trump, any discussion about politics is so highly-charged that even close friends and family can't talk about it unless everyone is from the same "tribe" and "on the same page". How many people do you know who are now estranged from close family members, friends, and co-workers because of Trump? This should make every single American citizen stop dead in their tracks and say, "You know, something is wrong. This is wrong."
On February 4, 2020, during his state of the union address, Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Have you ever listened to Limbaugh's show? He's one of the most divisive, one-sided, hard-line Republicans you'll ever hear, and Trump awards him this medal during the state of the union address. Wow! If this wasn't a divisive and disrespectful thing to do I don't know what is.
The fact is, Trump has done little to help unify our country and most everything to divide it. It wasn't like this before Trump, and he has continually stoked the fires of division since day one. Is THIS the kind of person we want to lead our country? Is THIS good for our democracy?
Disruption
I think it's fair to say that Trump is one of, if not the most disruptive presidents in the history of America. When it comes to our federal government, I'm all for a little disruption, challenging the "status quo", and eliminating people and institutions that aren't serving the best interests of Americans. Disruption can be a good thing when it's carefully thought out and done right. But Trump's "bull in a China shop" way of conducting business has not served us well.
One of Trump's campaign promises was to "drain the swamp". In reality, Trump hasn't "drained" anything. He's created his own "swamp" - a swamp full of hard-line, right-wing sycophants.
Extremism
Trump is an extremist, to the max. Think back to the days of Trump's campaign in 2016 and into the first year of his presidency. Remember how often he used the word "disaster?" Everything was a disaster, whether is was the Iran nuclear deal, NAFTA, Obama, you name it, to Trump it was always the "worst" ever.
This is not normal, healthy thinking, and it isn't reality. It's a "Trumped-up" version of reality that Trump has created in his own mind. Take anything that Trump labeled as a "disaster" and surely, if you are reasonable and you have an open mind, you will find some good in it - probably more good than bad.
If you support Trump you might say, OK, so what? Isn't Trump entitled to his opinions?
Of course, we are all entitled to our opinions, but when you are president of the United States WORDS MATTER, more than any other person on planet earth. People listen to what the president says and he or she has the opportunity and great power to influence people and the way they think. If you are putting out extreme messages day after day - messages that are misrepresentations and exaggerations of reality - what is that going to do to our democracy and our relationships with other countries over time?
Look what Trump has done with his "war on truth" and the media over the past 3+ years. I talked about this in Part 1 of this series. Is this good for our democracy? Of course not, and it's just another reason Trump is unfit to be president of the United States.
And speaking of WORDS, how many times over the past 3+ years has someone in Trump's administration had to clarify and explain what Trump meant when he said something? If you've been paying attention you know it's a lot. Whether it's his press secretary, his vice president, or some conservative pundit, time and time again they have to do "damage control" and try to explain and soften something Trump said.
If you are president of the United States, you damn well better know how to speak and you damn well better choose your words carefully. And whether you're reading from a script or "winging it", it doesn't matter - you're still the president and you have a responsibility to use your "bully pulpit" responsibly.
Here's a short, interesting Op-Ed about Trump's use of the "bully pulpit":
Opinion: Trump's White House, A Bully's Pulpit | NPR
Brute Force
There's no nuance or finesse with Trump. With Trump (and most in his administration) it's all about brute force. Whether it's slapping sanctions on Iran or Venezuela, or announcing tariffs on Chinese imports, or suddenly pulling out of international agreements and accords, or sending U.S. military forces to American cities, it's always the same "one-trick-pony" strategy and approach.
While I agree that SOMETIMES brute force might be the best and the only way to deal with an issue, Trump takes it to the extreme. His "bull in a China shop" way is a reflection of his personality, and God help anyone or anything that gets in his way.
Trump has a proclivity and seeming admiration for hard-line leaders of other countries like Vladimir Putin (Russia), Jair Bolsinaro (Brazil), Andrzej Duda (Poland), and Viktor Orbán (Hungary). All of these leaders seem to possess some of Trump's "brute force" traits. All of these leaders have a "tight grip" on their countries and tend toward dictatorship. One has to wonder why Trump seems to "buddy up" to them.
Trump is NOT the kind of person we need to lead our country. We need someone who isn't so one-dimensional - someone who realizes that taking a wrecking ball to everything he or she doesn't approve of isn't necessarily the best way to solve a problem.
Winning at All Costs
Here's an exchange between Trump and Fox News host Chris Wallace on July 19, 2020:
Wallace:
In general, not talking about November, are you a good loser?
Trump:
I'm not a good loser. I don't like to lose. I don't lose too often. I don't like to lose.
Source:
(July 19, 2020). "Transcript: 'Fox News Sunday' interview with President Trump". Fox News. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
Obviously, based on the way he responded Trump REALLY doesn't like to lose (confirmed by his behavior and the things he says). In my opinion, Trump is obsessed with winning to a fault. I think most people like to win. It's sure more fun than losing, right?. And I think it's great for people to be highly motivated and to strive to achieve their goals. But with Trump it seems he wants to win "at all costs", regardless of the fallout. He "doubles down" on virtually everything. He's like a wrecking ball that comes crashing through a building, demolishing everything in its path, including a few things that just happen to be in the vicinity.
I think Trump's obsession with winning (or maybe it's more his intense dislike of losing) is directly tied to his enormous ego. I think Trump's idea of winning is all wrapped up with his self-image and his masculinity, so much so that losing is a direct threat to his inner well-being (his ego). Hey, I'm all for a little ego-boost now and then, that's something we all need, but in my opinion Trump's ego is out of control - something that makes him a dangerous man as president of our country.
Lack of Empathy
I'm not going to quote news articles to make my point here because it's based on listening and watching, day after day, to what Trumps says and doesn't say, and to what he does and doesn't do. This guy has shown little or no empathy for other people. If you've been paying attention, you know what I'm saying is true. And how many people, prominent and everyday alike, have said the same thing?
I honestly don't think Trump has the emotional capacity to feel what other people feel. I don't think he has the capacity to put himself in someone else's shoes and imagine what it might be like to be that person. Stop and think about this for a moment. Do you think that a one-dimensional, purely "transactional" president like Trump has all of the traits and qualities necessary to effectively carry out the myriad of complex, multi-dimensional duties required as president? No, of course not, and it's just another reason why Trump has no business being in the White House.
Narcissism
A lot has been said and written about Trump's personality and he has often been referred to as a "narcissist."
Here's what it says about Narcissistic Personality Disorder on the Mayo Clinic website:
Narcissistic personality disorder — one of several types of personality disorders — is a mental condition in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships, and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism.
A narcissistic personality disorder causes problems in many areas of life, such as relationships, work, school or financial affairs. People with narcissistic personality disorder may be generally unhappy and disappointed when they're not given the special favors or admiration they believe they deserve. They may find their relationships unfulfilling, and others may not enjoy being around them.
Here are some of the symptoms listed on the website:
- Have an exaggerated sense of self-importance
- Have a sense of entitlement and require constant, excessive admiration
- Expect to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
- Exaggerate achievements and talents
- Be preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate
- Believe they are superior and can only associate with equally special people
- Monopolize conversations and belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior
- Expect special favors and unquestioning compliance with their expectations
- Take advantage of others to get what they want
- Have an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
- Behave in an arrogant or haughty manner, coming across as conceited, boastful and pretentious
Source:
(November 18, 2017). "Narcissistic personality disorder". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
An article on the Psychology Today website entitled "Narcissistic Personality Disorder" describes narcissism in essentially the same way as Mayo Clinic.
I'm not a psychologist, but it doesn't take a college degree to see that Trump exhibits ALL of the symptoms listed above.
So, then the question becomes, "OK, so what?"
First, no one likes to be around or deal with a bully (unless you yourself are a bully).
Second, no one wants to be around someone who is arrogant and conceited (unless you yourself are arrogant and conceited).
Think about how much time a U.S. president spends in conversations and diplomacy with other important people in power, not only here in the U.S. but abroad as well. How do you think these personality shortcomings have affected Trump's ability to effectively do his job?
Third, the inability to show real empathy for another person is NOT representative of the United States. The United States has a long history of caring for others in need and for showing empathy. Trump has not shown he has the capacity for real, sincere empathy towards other people.
Fourth, if you live in your own little "bubble" of reality as I've said before, how can you possibly deal effectively with reality? Trump is an unpredictable "loose cannon". This should be a "red flag" to all Americans and to the world.
Fifth, if you believe you are superior to others, then you are not really open to other opinions and ideas because you think you know it all and you're the best.
Sixth, if you're preoccupied with yourself (and your ego), that leaves less time thinking about what you can do for other people. I thought a public servant (which includes the president) is supposed to serve the people, not himself or herself.
There are countless examples of Trump with his narcissism on display, but one that stands out to me is a snippet of what he said during a tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia on March 6, 2020:
You know, my uncle was a great person. He was at MIT. He taught at MIT for, I think, like a record number of years. He was a great super genius. Dr. John Trump.
I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, "How do you know so much about this?" Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for President.
Source:
Trump, Donald. (March 6, 2020). "Remarks by President Trump After Tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | Atlanta, GA". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
Regarding Trump's remark about his uncle (Dr. John Trump), you have to understand the context. After talking about a host of other things unrelated to his uncle, all of a sudden Trump blurts out this comment about his uncle from out of the blue. What does this say about Trump's personality? Obviously, he's trying to make the case that he comes from a smart, intelligent family (MIT, "great super genius"), which in his mind means that by association he's also the same.
Then, Trump goes on "talking himself up" by saying he gets "this stuff", and how doctors ask him how he knows so much, and that he has a "natural ability." All I can do is shake my head in disbelief that ANYONE, even Trump, would so blatant and flagrant in touting his perceived intelligence this way. It's embarrassing, highly offensive, repulsive, and certainly NOT acceptable for a U.S. president to behave this way.
There is much, much more that Trump said in Atlanta during his visit to the CDC that day, and CNN reporter Chris Cillizza analyzes everything in an article entitled "The 25 most concerning lines from Donald Trump's CDC visit". I suggest you read the article.
One other aspect of Trump's narcissistic personality is that he often blames other people, other institutions, prior administrations, other countries, and just about anyone or anything else he can think of to explain why a problem exists today. He does this to deny any accountability, to put down others, and ultimately to make himself look good when he eventually claims to have solved the problem.
Here is an Op-Ed published on August 10, 2020 which sheds more light on Trump's personality:
Trump's personality is as much a problem as his performance | The Hill
Lawsuits
Are you sick and tired of the seemingly endless barrage of lawsuits involving Trump and his administration?
An article on the ABA Journal website entitled "Trump and his 3,500 suits: Prosecutor and author reveals in interview his portrait of 'Plaintiff in Chief'" posted on April 20, 2020 gives an overview of the book "Plaintiff in Chief" (published in September, 2019), as well as an interview with the author James D. Zirin (an accomplished litigator and a self-described lifelong, middle-of-the-road Republican), conducted by Robin Lindley, a Seattle-based writer and lawyer. Here are a few quotes from the article and the interview:
Trump saw litigation as being only about winning. He sued at the drop of a hat. He sued for sport; he sued to achieve control; and he sued to make a point. He sued as a means of destroying or silencing those who crossed him. He became a plaintiff in chief.
All this aberrant behavior would be problematic in a businessman. But the implications of such conduct in a man who is the president of the United States are nothing less than terrifying.
Cohn [Roy] really taught Trump everything he knows about waging what I call asymmetrical warfare, weaponizing the law and using litigation as a means to attain the various objectives that he had.
Cohn had a different recipe for going forward. He liked to beat the system...Cohn's recipe was fight, and he taught Trump the tools he used. No. 1 is if you're charged with anything, counterattack. Rule No. 2 is if you're charged with anything, try to undermine your adversary. Rule No. 3 is work the press. Rule No. 4 is lie. It doesn't matter how tall a tale it is, but repeat it again and again. Rule No. 5 is settle the case, claim victory and go home.
I think he enjoys lying. I think it's part of his DNA. I don't think he has any grasp of the facts at all, so he says whatever he thinks will help him and whatever comes into his head. It is expedient, I suppose, to lie in litigation if you crossed an intersection through a red light. You can lie and say it was a green light, and that changes the legal outcome of your case. And that's the way Trump operates.
And I think the rule of law has been seriously undermined. Our democracy has been seriously compromised because the framers of the Constitution never thought the system would work this way. Republican senators deserve part of the blame because of their need to retain power or whatever, they did not respect the oath they took to be fair and impartial judges of the facts and the law but instead voted along party lines to acquit him [during the impeachment trial].
Source:
Lindley, Robin. (April 20, 2020). "Trump and his 3,500 suits: Prosecutor and author reveals in interview his portrait of 'Plaintiff in Chief'". ABA Journal. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
The Center for Biological Diversity has filed 220 lawsuits (as of this writing) against Trump - lawsuits involving Trump and his administration's attempt "to worsen climate change, kill wildlife, endanger public health and destroy public lands."
According to BallotPedia, as of this writing there have been 47 multi-state lawsuits filed against the U.S. federal government since Trump assumed the presidency (2017-2020). Compare that with 46 for Obama's 8-years in office (2009-2018). If you extrapolate those numbers out (assuming 8 years for Trump), that means that under Trump there will be likely be over twice as many multi-state lawsuits compared to Obama. Think about how much money it is costing our federal government to litigate these lawsuits. Is this what American citizens want? Is this serving our country well?
As president, how many hours has Trump spent sending out tweets on Twitter?
There is a website called Trump Twitter Archive that has a searchable database of all tweets by Trump (and, from the way it appears, all of his Twitter followers as well). According to a chart in a Wikipedia article entitled Donald Trump on social media (which gives Trump Twitter Archive as its source), in the first half of 2020 (January 20 - July 19) Trump sent out 6,014 tweets which is an average of 33.2 per day. In the second half of 2019 (July 20 - January 19) Trump tweeted 5,151 times for an average of 28.1 per day.
How many of Trump's thousands upon thousands of tweets over the past four years have you read? If you've been paying attention, you know that the vast majority of his tweets are nothing more than political propaganda, for the most part laced with gross exaggerations and lies, and almost always directed to his base supporters. In other words, most of his time on Twitter is really time he is campaigning. Now, consider how many live campaign rallies he has held since he was elected. How about all the time he spends campaigning during press briefings when he should be talking about things that really matter to American citizens?
Never in my life have I seen a president spend so much time campaigning. Now, you could say, "Well, he's smart to do that, isn't he?" What is smart about spending so much time on a tiny little device going "click-click-click" one finger at a time until you've used up your maximum of 140 characters, and then following that up with another tweet, and another, and sometimes another?
We have SERIOUS, complex problems in this country that need SERIOUS attention - the coronavirus, police reform and racial injustice, a failing infrastructure, immigration reform, and health care reform just to name a few. Any reasonable, rational, sincere, and smart president would be doing things every day that address these issues, and he or she would be working with members of the opposite party to get things done. But Trump is none of those things and he has shown little interest in working with Democrats. He would rather waste time on Twitter - time he should be working - than do the job he was elected to do.
If Trump was actually tweeting about things that were meant to unify our country, then maybe some of his tweeting would be justified. But that's not how Trump uses Twitter. As I said, most of it is political propaganda directed to his base, designed to criticize, belittle, and fan the flames of division.
Is THIS good for our country? Is this REALLY the kind of president we want or need?
Acting Appointments
One of Trump's signature tactics as president has been his use of "acting" appointments to his cabinet. His administration also has a very high rate of turnover among high-level positions.
The use of an "acting appointment" is, by design, a temporary filling of a position until a suitable long-term individual is found. Some high-level positions in the president's cabinet require U.S. Senate approval. It's clear that in some cases Trump has appointed "acting" individuals with the intent of bypassing Senate confirmation. What Trump has been doing may be unlawful.
The following articles dig deeper into this:
An Acting Government For The Trump Administration | NPR
President Trump, Acting Appointments, and Why You Should Care | Constitutional Accountability Center
Tracking turnover in the Trump administration | Brookings
Mocking the Handicapped
One of Trump's early faux pas was his mocking of a Washington Post reporter during a campaign rally. Do you remember it? Of course Trump denied it, but if you watched the video it pretty much speaks for itself.
This incident is directly related to another false claim made by Trump that "thousands and thousands of people were cheering" on New Jersey rooftops when the trade center buildings were collapsing on 9/11.
I'm not going to elaborate on the details but you watch the video and read them on factcheck.org and snopes.com here:
Donald Trump Criticized for Mocking Disabled Reporter | Snopes
Trump, Carson on 9/11 'Celebrations' | factcheck.org
Trump's Revised 9/11 Claim | factcheck.org
"Stable Genius"
On January 6, 2018, in a tweet Trump referred to himself as a "very stable genius".
On May 23, 2019, Trump repeated his claim calling himself an "extremely stable genius".
I'm all for self-confidence, but when it devolves into arrogance, conceit, and just plain cockiness, then, "Houston, we have a problem!" And the problem is, if you think you're a "stable genius", then you think you're always right. And if you've been paying attention, you know that Trump truly does believe that he is always right. He "doubles-down" on everything he says and does and never apologizes.
This guy is full of himself, BIG TIME! It's all part of his enormous ego, which needs to be constantly fed. Again, just another trait that makes Trump unfit for office.
"Prime the Pump"
On May 11, 2017 Trump was interviewed by The Economist. In the interview, Trump mentioned the phrase "prime the pump" in reference to the potential affect of tax cuts on the economy. Trump said he came up with the phrase, as it applies to tax cuts and the economy. Here's the excerpt from the interview:
TRUMP: We have to prime the pump.
ECONOMIST: It's very Keynesian.
TRUMP: We're the highest-taxed nation in the world. Have you heard that expression before, for this particular type of an event?
ECONOMIST: Priming the pump?
TRUMP: Yeah, have you heard it?
ECONOMIST: Yes.
TRUMP: Have you heard that expression used before? Because I haven't heard it. I mean, I just...I came up with it a couple of days ago and I thought it was good. It's what you have to do.
CNN reporter Chris Cillizza had this to say in his article on the interview:
Here's the thing with Trump: He is someone who has always created his own version of events and reality. One of his tried and true tactics as a businessman was, no matter the outcome of a deal, to declare victory and move on. He would aim to win the next day's press story -- knowing that for lots of people not paying close attention that would be all they would hear.
Trump kept building his own world once in the White House. He would have won the popular vote except for the 3 to 5 million votes cast by undocumented immigrants. His inauguration crowd was the biggest ever. His first 100 days were among the most successful of any president ever. And so on and on and on. It didn't matter that all of these things were provably false. What mattered (and matters) is that Trump believed them. That made them truth to him.
Source:
Cillizza, Chris. (May 11, 2017). "Donald Trump thinks he invented the phrase 'priming the pump.' That's telling.". CNN. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
So, first of all, did Trump mean he came up with the phrase "prime the pump" only as it relates to taxes and the economy, or did he mean he literally invented the phrase?
Because of the way Trump talks and rambles, it's often hard to understand exactly what he means. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one and say he didn't mean he invented the phrase. But, as the phrase applies to taxes and the economy, I find it hard to believe he is the first person to ever use that phrase. I'm sure there have been many economists and many college professors that have used that same phrase, in the same way, before. And how would Trump even know whether he's the first one to ever use it? Just because you haven't heard of something before doesn't mean it hasn't been said or that it doesn't exist.
This is absurd Trump thinking, directly connected to his ego. He WANTS to think he invented the phrase in the way he used it, and his enormous ego needs constant stroking so that's what comes out of his mouth.
I included Cillizza's quotes for a reason. Please read them again because he really "nailed it" regarding Trump.
First, Cillizza says that Trump "has always created his own version of events and reality." In Part 1 of this series I said that Trump lives in his own little "bubble" of reality, which is exactly what Cillizza is saying. Again, if you've been paying attention you know what I'm saying is true. This isn't my opinion, it's a fact. How safe and secure do you think we are as Americans when we have a president who lives and thinks in his own reality?
Second, Cillizza mentions Trump's strategy of declaring victory on an issue or deal, regardless of the actual, real outcome, and then moving on knowing that most people would only hear that he was victorious. Trump has used this distraction strategy countless times since he took office, the most recent one being his continuing false claim that our country is doing "very well" in regard to the coronavirus.
But Trump takes this a step further. He will also flatly deny he said something when asked, knowing that his denial is what most people will hear and remember, regardless of reality. He's a "master trickster" that's for sure - NOT the kind of person we want or need in the White House.
"Not Even People"
On June 6, 2017 on the Fox News program "hannity", Trump's son Eric Trump said the following:
I've never seen hatred like this. To me, they're [Democrats] not even people. It's so, so sad. Morality's just gone, morals have flown out the window and we deserve so much better than this as a country.
Source:
Hensch, Mark. (June 6, 2017). "Eric Trump: Dems 'not even people'". The Hill. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
Granted, this is not Trump himself saying this, but to hear a close family member say something like this is really appalling. And to imply with his comment that it's Democrats fault that "morals have flown out the window" is, again, just another example of the hypocrisy of Trump and so many of his supporters.
Who is the one who made the unforgettable "And when you're a star, they let you do it, you can do anything...grab them by the pussy" remark?
Who is the one who has refused to REALLY call out white supremacy in our country? Trump instead prefers to go on and on and on, passionately railing against groups like Antifa, while only making a few flat, scripted, unemotional statements about racism and racist groups.
Who is the one who has refused to engage in the issue of racism and racial injustice in the U.S. after the death of George Floyd?
I could continue to cite examples of Trump's crass and abhorrent behavior and statements, but you get the point.
Brian Resnick, a journalist for Vox described Eric Trump's remarks as "dehumanizing", calling it "historically and psychologically" dangerous.
Barack Obama
It's clear that Trump has a deep, intense dislike for former President Barack Obama, his policies, and most of what he accomplished in eight years as president. You may recall that back in 2011, at a White House Correspondents' Dinner (at which Trump was present), Obama made some rather pointed jokes about Trump from the podium. Here's what Obama said about Trump:
And I know just the guy to do it -– Donald Trump is here tonight! (Laughter and applause.) Now, I know that he's taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald. (Laughter.) And that's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter –- like, did we fake the moon landing? (Laughter.) What really happened in Roswell? (Laughter.) And where are Biggie and Tupac? (Laughter and applause.)
But all kidding aside, obviously, we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience. (Laughter.) For example -- no, seriously, just recently, in an episode of Celebrity Apprentice -- (laughter) -- at the steakhouse, the men's cooking team cooking did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. And there was a lot of blame to go around. But you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership. And so ultimately, you didn't blame Lil' Jon or Meatloaf. (Laughter.) You fired Gary Busey. (Laughter.) And these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. (Laughter and applause.) Well handled, sir. (Laughter.) Well handled.
Say what you will about Mr. Trump, he certainly would bring some change to the White House. Let's see what we've got up there. (Laughter.) (Screens show "Trump White House Resort and Casino.")
Source:
Schulman, Kori. (May 1, 2011). "'The President's Speech' at the White House Correspondents' Dinner". obamawhitehouse.archives.gov. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
Obviously, Obama was ribbing Trump for Trump's belief in conspiracy theories, but Obama was also making a statement about Trump's inability to handle a job like president of the United States.
In his 3+ years as president Trump has made a concerted effort to trash, rescind, and undo as much of what Obama accomplished as possible. The most glaring example of this is his (and his administration's) continuing effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). I'm not saying Trump has done all of this just because of some jokes at a dinner, but don't kid yourself - what Obama said is something that Trump has never forgotten, and I think Trump has gone out of his way to "stick" it to Obama. Trump is vindictive - something you know is true, if you've been paying attention.
Is this REALLY the kind of person we want as president?
Miscellaneous Trump Faux Pas
Here's a list of some of the other notable (but not in a good way) things Trump has said and done over the 4-5 years:
Trump: I could 'shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters' | CNN
'He's Not a War Hero': Donald Trump Mocks John McCain's Service | NBC News
Trump Admits To Authorizing Stormy Daniels Payoff, Denies Sexual Encounter | NPR
'A New Low.' The World Is Furious at Trump for His Remark About 'Shithole Countries' | Time
Univision Cuts Ties With Trump After Comments About Immigrants | NPR
Donald Trump's 'blood' comment about Megyn Kelly draws outrage | CNN
Donald Trump wants to disqualify a judge purely because of his ethnicity | Vox
Trump Campaign Says 'Dishonest Media' Misinterpreted His Second Amendment Comment | NPR
Trump told Mueller more than 30 times he did not remember key events | The Hill
Top 10 Trump Nicknames and Why They Stick to His Foes | Roll Call
Trump Supporters
If you want to get a little glimpse into the thinking and psyche of some Trump supporters, go to YouTube and search on "John Klepper". John is a comedian, writer, and political commentator who has posted a number of videos where he interviews Trump supporters at rallies. I suggest you watch a few of his videos, just to get a sample of some of the ridiculous things some Trump supporters say.
You'll see and hear things like:
- A man who obviously has an intense dislike of Obama, who claims Obama was a "big part" of the 9/11 attack, who apparently doesn't realize that Obama wasn't president in 2001
- A woman who believes Obama is a Muslim and a terrorist (and no one is going to change her mind) while openly admitting she's done no research to support her beliefs
- A man who talks about how "extreme nations" don't respect women and how treating women with respect is an "American ideal", while wearing a t-shirt which reads "Hillary sucks, but not like Monica" on the front and "Trump that bitch!" on the back
- A man who says it's important to "do you own research", "think for yourself", and "not be a sheep", who also agrees it's important to read the transcript (of Trump's call with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, which led to Trump's impeachment), but who said several times that he had not read the transcript himself
Source:
(July 4, 2020). "Jordan Klepper vs. Trump Supporters | The Daily Show". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
I mention Kleppers' interviews because I think it's important to show examples of hypocrisy, ignorance, and "double-speak" not only by Trump, but of some of this supporters as well. Honestly, I'm not sure I could watch more than one of the videos for fear my head might explode! Yes, some of the things you'll hear are THAT insane.
From what I've observed with Trump and his supporters, to me the whole Trump movement has elements of a cult. Cult members, in general, usually proclaim unwavering and unquestioning support for their leader. Once "hooked", cult members, like many Trump supporters, believe anything and everything they are told by their leader. They become "sheep" that follow their "shepherd." It's like they are on drugs - "high" on the words, ideals, and objectives of their professed leader. And when you're "high" on anything, reasonable and critical thinking ability rapidly declines. I posted an article about this on March 19, 2019 which you can read here
I strongly suggest you read the following articles which discuss Trumpism and cults:
Finally, I must call out all Trump supporters in America and say that each and every one of you are complicit in what's happened to our country over the past 3+ years. YOU are the people that enabled one of the most dangerous, unhinged people I've ever seen to become president of the United States. And to all of the members of Congress who have been quiet for so long, shame on all of you for allowing this outrageous, pathetic circus to continue.
More:
- A Complete List of Donald Trump's Business Disasters | Gawker
- The Cost of Trump's Assault on the Press and the Truth | The New Yorker
- Science seeks truth, Trump denies it | The Hill
- Leadership matters: President's words and actions show he is unfit to lead our nation | The Hill
- Donald Trump's illusion and reality | The Hill
- I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration | The New York Times