President Donald Trump, a very angry man, must get up every morning having figured out 1. How to piss off another segment of people in the country and across the world and 2. How to further screw up the U.S. and world economies.
His latest round of insulting behavior and words has been directed at Pope Leo and the 1.2 billion Catholics around the world. Now, how dumb is that politically? He accuses Pope Leo of being soft on crime, but the Pope is not in law enforcement; he’s a leader and spokesman for the best beliefs of Christianity.
A psychopath, beyond narcissism, Trump cares not a whit about what other people think or feel about his leadership. He cares only about himself, every day, every hour of the day. I run into many Americans of all stripes who are sickened by his erratic and insulting words and behaviors.
His approval percentages on a good number of polls are down into the 30s, a record low, but more tellingly, some polls have him at 50% “strongly disapprove.” In short, they don’t just disagree with him, they despise him.
Let us count the huge swaths of Americans that his anger and disrespect that have inspired their reverse-anger aimed at him:
- 18 Million American Veterans – He has referred to deceased American heroes as “suckers and losers.” He promised to keep Americans out of foreign wars, but has reversed 180 degrees. He is now a wartime president. His attacks and wars are distractions from his domestic failures.
- Existing Armed Services — He has surely turned off many of the 1.3 million Americans currently serving in the military. His macho Secretary of “War” has fired their top generals and admirals without cause. He has sent soldiers, sailors and Marines into harm’s way in an unwinnable war in the Middle East.
- Damage to the Economy – His obsession with tariffs, has inflicted damage on millions of small and medium-sized businesses, even as he threw favors to the billionaires in America. Big parts of the economy are in recession, including manufacturing and agriculture.
- Lower Affordability – With the exception of eggs, consumers face climbing prices on most products. Inflation has held stubbornly at more than 3% and is headed higher. Tariffs and wars drive prices north.
- Disregard for Women – Though not convicted, he has been guilty in court of rape and has defamed a woman he assaulted. Many women who sided with him in his first election have reconsidered and are voting against any down-ballot candidates associated with him.
- MAGA Defections – Trump is losing MAGA supporters who proclaim to be “America First.” Regime change in countries like Venezuela and Iran are the antithesis of putting American domestic interest as a priority.
- Disrespect Around the World – The term “ugly American” was once used to
mock the manners of some Americans traveling abroad. Now the term is used to describe the crass, immoral and un-Christian values espoused from the Oval Office and often shouted out on his Truth Social platform. - Once Close Allies – Leaders of many foreign countries, especially in Europe, now regard our president as a problem to be dealt with, no longer a reliable partner.
- Families, Friends of Immigrants – The hard reality is that America needs immigrants. Because of sharply falling birthrates in the country, we need young workers, including legal immigrants of all stripes. Truth be told, we also need the illegal immigrants who have been here for years as law-abiding, taxpaying residents. Give them green cards, but no citizenship. Their children born here need to be citizens. We must value them as U.S. educated contributors.
- ICE Abuses – The nasty tactics of ICE agents have targeted brown people. That has angered Hispanics, and they are expressing their displeasure in polls and at the ballot box.
- University People – His broad attacks on colleges and universities and his budget cuts for research have alienated some of our best and brightest on campuses. Alumnae are also turned off. innovation and critical thinking have been set back by decades by his attacks and defunding.
- Promotion of Violence – The angry words from the White House create an atmosphere where violence is condoned. The tactics of his ICE enforcers amplify and promulgate for violence. Most Americans want peace in their lives. They will vote against cruelty, rights violations and demeaning language.
- The Fourth Estate – Most American leaders and citizens highly value our free press and free speech. Trump attacks on reporters in general and commentators in particular who simply disagree with his policies make them “enemies of the people.” Smart politicians know better than to get into fights with people who buy their ink by the barrel and who have access to the airwaves.
Let’s sum this up. Great leaders use their words and actions to unite the country in a common understanding of who we are and where we are going as a nation. Trump is the ultimate divider. He thinks dividing us gives him an electoral advantage. He’s wrong about that.
Americans may disagree on individual issues, but they want consensus and solidarity on our fundamental beliefs. They want all segments of the economy to work together to create mutual prosperity. They want us and our neighbors to be prosperous. They want us to be satisfied with our lives.
The very angry man at the top is fomenting ill will, not solidarity.
Is there anybody out there who Trump hasn’t pissed off in some manner?
