Even the most ardent Trump supporters must be concerned about the uncertainty of things during the first six months of this administration. For many, partisans, moderate voters and independents, the ensuing chaos and barrage of controversial actions raise questions about political and personal motivations, competence and the continued virtue of the American brand.
Think of all the big issues that are continuing to unfold: questions regarding the courts, due process of law and constitutionality, ICE and immigration, the war on universities, manipulation of government financial policy, harassment of the legal world and media among others.
These go on while the Russo-Ukraine War rages, killing and maiming countless innocents as well as combatants. This is the war that candidate Trump boasted that he would end on day one and yet it remains hangfire, promising further destruction with potential catastrophic damage to the world order. Trump’s handling of the war strikes me as emblematic of so much of his governing characterized by indecision, reversals, bold assertions and threats, and self-serving partisanship coupled with his bravado and insatiable egotism.
Trump’s recent announcement that he will meet with Putin about Ukraine in Alaska on August 15 is most curious given Russia’s historical ownership of Alaska and the fact that Putin will be meeting on American soil despite the International Criminal Court’s warrant for his arrest. Critically, President Zelensky has already challenged Ukraine’s absence from the talks and ruled out conceding territory. All the tea leaves say that Trump is grandstanding and that things will not go well despite the president’s recent threats to get tough and bring sanctions against Russia. Putin continues to play Trump. The likelihood that the president will turn the screws on Putin is zero.
And all the while Trump continues to dabble in small things like the name of sports teams, renovation plans for the White House, promoting jeans and indulging himself on social media.
It’s a helluva way to run a country.