President Trump May not be your America - but he’s definitely my family’s and friends’ America. Looking forward to 2020 !!
5
6 more years of prosperity—enjoy
2
Trump is the result of an archaic institution that needs to be eliminated: the Electoral College. Not only they failed to fulfill their duty by electing Trump, a mentally ill, incompetent man with very limited intellectual abilities, but they give the vote of a white minority undeserved weight. The popular vote shows we are a blue country, yet here we are enduring a disastrous Republican government who has forsaken its duty to country for money. Trump is America, but a minority, ugly America but not until we finally become a true democracy with One person, One vote, those ugly Americans will continue to harm the country.
18
I expect we will be at war with Iran by then. More reason for everybody to wrap themselves in the flag. Democrats will be shamed if they don't play along with his fake war and his fake commander in chief routine on the 4th of July. I can see it all now.
When will this end?
2
Donald Trump is not America? I beg to differ.
Many people say Trump is an embarrassment. I agree. He is an embarrassment in precisely the same way that one feels embarrassed when suddenly striped naked and exposed.
Trump is who we are. Grandiose, vain, given bellicose, greedy, self-serving, proudly ignorant... Need I continue?
This is who we have become. WE, the People, created Pres. Trump. He is the perfect reflection of a society rotted through with the infinite desire for wealth and power.
America... know thyself.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
12
I hate to bred this to you, but Trump is America. White Supremicist, racist, bigots, corrupt government, regressive taxation (Tariffs). That’s what got him elected (don’t forget Russian interference), and that’s what’s going to get him re-elected. You can’t stop it.
3
Ok, We The People, let's lean into this vanity project. Call your representatives in Congress. Start petitions and send them to the White House demanding answers and action.
Paint the White House gold!
Put a gigantic golden T atop the Washinton Monument, spotlit so its visible all night clear down to the Carolinas!
Carve Trump's visage into Mt Rushmore!
Pass a resultion that The Wall must be gold colored and bear a facsimile of Trump's signature at least once per mile!
Heck, we named a capital after a president once, let's do it again, rename Washington D.C. to Trump Town USA D.C.!
Immediately commission a Trump Monument, at least twice as big as the Lincoln Memorial (and directly in front of it)!
And more!
Get all of these and similar resolutions on to the floor of Congress or into the White House with a legal requirement to respond. How many Trumpublican Senators will stand up and vote against their leader's saggy visage replacing that of, say, Lincoln?
2
"Trumpian logic" now that has got to be the mother of all oxymorons.
6
Donald Trump is not America? Then why did they elect him and over 40% still support this "clown" ?
4
All of the Trump's traits and his thinking were on display in 2016 presidential campaign. Yet he was elected. Even conceding the skewed electoral system and his loss of popular vote, he still got a vote of almost half of the electorate. I think the conclusion is different than the one Mr. Bruni is drawing: A huge part of America IS represented by Trump and his core characteristics: nationalism, lack of general education, simplistic fear of the role of government and the belief in unbriddled, unmoderated capitalism, confusing government's social responsibility with socialism.
49
Unfortunately, I could press the “recommend” button only once on your comment.
Too bad I could not give it a 10.
10
Donald Trump doesn’t do nuance or subtle. He does in your face.
He doesn’t go gentle into the night. He struts and crows before the sun rises, jarringly jolting everyone out of sleep.
He doesn’t respond thoughtfully. He reacts, loudly, impulsively, and often constantly, without bothering to apply considered judgment or thoughtful reflection.
He doesn’t take a breath. He takes the air from the room, leaving only suffocation for everyone in his wake.
He doesn’t do empathy. He enervates, by ignoring or isolating and childishly belittling those with whom he disagrees. That amounts to over half the country.
Is is little wonder that Trump’s loyal fan-boy base is consistently outnumbered by the larger number of Americans who angrily reject the double-helping of bitter, un-American swill he regularly serves them while selfishly gobbling up his two pieces of cake.
As we consider the approaching Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays, I pray that we take some time to reflect on what those holidays are truly meant to stand for, and not the twisted, perverted brand of pseudo-patriotism ginned up by Donald Trump in his never ending bump-and-grind quest for personal validation and primacy.
Those who built, fought and died for our country are the ones we should celebrate and revere. Those emotional midgets like Trump, who attempt to hijack usurp their reflected glory and sacrifice, no so much.
6
Trump is not America. Neither is Fox News which is in fact
where truth goes to die.
5
Hurt a malignant narcissist where it hurts him the most: ignore him. Trump's main concerns in life t.v. ratings and the size of his crowds. He is still smarting about his sorry inauguration crowd. Media: do not cover the Trump Pathetic Needy Child 4th Show. People, do not watch it. People, do not attend any of the events. Imagine the tantrum If every media outlet would instead run President Obama's addresses and speeches on that day and that got higher ratings.
4
DJT is a manifestation of voter discontent with the career political class and the donors they serve. It's too simplistic to fall back on racism, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia or whatever pet adverb rules the day. These things exist, but in essence DJT was the human hand grenade rolled into the middle of the room explicitly to disrupt the world career pols live in. The money that permeates politics makes it impossible to unceremoniously throw all incumbents out. The next best thing is to present them with a giant throbbing middle finger running the co-equal executive branch. His personal foibles make many wince, but his gleeful willingness to jam his finger in opponents eyes is exactly why he was sent to DC. I'll leave deep discussions regarding the theology of political decorum to others.
Presidents come and go, and the republic will survive. More to the point, will Washington heed the message that a large swath of the public sent when the unthinkable (to those in the DC bubble) happened on Nov 8, 2016 ? So far they haven't gotten past anger/despair. Time to rub some dirt on it and get on with the hard work of governing. Not everyone wants the US to emulate European social democracy - that battle in the arena of ideas needs the full attention of our executive, legislative and lastly (just for calling balls and strikes) our judiciary. To do otherwise wastes all the resources poured into Washington DC that could be put to better use closer to home.
Sadly for many immigrants, LGBT, blacks and women Trump is America: racist, mean, violent and unfair. And that is also the America the rest of the world now sees. Trump is the America we refused to see. Well it's in our face now.
8
"President Trump's outrages, absurdities and indelicacies arrive with such frequency that they numbingly blur together.."
Let's not overlook massive fraudulence (possibly covered in outrages). The man stands exposed as a fraudulent "self-made billionaire" who's lavish lifestyle has been exposed by the NYT and others as based on dynastic tax fraud, repeated bailouts from daddy and epic business failures with others left to soak up the losses.
Yet, he persists with his defiant, pathetic ruse. Even more pathetic, his supporters still buy it.
I hope his bluster against a backdrop of exploding fireworks gets horrible ratings. Because at the end of the day that's all he cares about.
It's a TV show presidency.
4
The thing Donald Trump does well is perform. Take away his performance and he could be called “Do nothing Donnie”. At least nothing good.
So, if Twitter went dark for 60 days as a public service and TV muted Trump’s sound bites there would be no performance. Subsequently, what Trump actually does that is right and good could be written about by journalists. What we would see written would be almost nothing.
1
If Independence Day is to become Trump Day, it is time for sabotage in the spirit of the Boston Tea Party. Let the troops marshaled to parade past Mr. Trump's reviewing stand march, but let them march in the opposite direction. Let sound engineers destroy the amplifiers of his microphone. Let the fireworks arch skyward aimed directly at the White House.
The TEA party was initially formed as a acronym for Taxed Enough Already. We need to seize the moniker to change it to Trumped Enough Already.
Many Americans struggle every day with what they can eke out in an economy which has left them behind and the mirage of #MAGA Mr. Trump holds out for them. Aaron Sorkin gave Michael J. Fox the best quote for this time in his screenplay for The American President:
"People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand."
2
The ideology of Conservatism needs to be put to rest, now. It has subsumed itself into insanity and godless Trump worship. It seeks power, to possess power alone.
It is an ideology that destroys; for money which conveys it power. Those that pay the price are not the ones with the power.
45th will find out on Nov 3, 2020 what is in his fate, if he loses election. His personal attorney is waiting for him behind bar to join him.
Mr Bruni's frames Trump's actions within the myopic politics of personality that the press obsesses over in the US. Framing issues in terms of politicians' personalities has always been a part of American politics, but in the age of identity politics it has come into its own: Trump is a narcissist; Trump is rude; Trump has orange hair; Trump loves Putin; presidents need to be vain. Blah, blah, blah.
This is not political critique. It's politics as a soap opera, where politicians' personal agendas and drives shape history.
This distraction allows America's elite to act recklessly in defence of its global interests without criticism. It asks US voters to leave important matters in the hands of a handful of leaders while pondering which presidential hopeful is sufficiently "sorry" about their "white privilege"; and who is as Woke as (militaristic) Obama.
The problem with Trump's approach to holidays and everything else is that it re-legitimizes American militarism, which Trump de-legitimized in his well-aimed attacks on the military adventurism of Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Critical of morally correct warriors Obama and Clinton, Trump is redirecting the spirit of American militarism at geopolitically significant targets: China and even the EU. He is reasserting the older, national identity of America to help with that.
Instead of obsessing over The Donald's narcissism, why doesn't Bruni devote real estate to real issues that transcend Trump and explain his actions?
Frank, disagree totally. Trump is a symptom of a system now in its decomposition stage, a system where we continue to worship wig-wearing 300 year old slave-owning gentlemen where women did not even have to right to vote. Her is a symptom of a quasi-religious system which worships old texts (think of "origninalist" constitutional advocates and searches for meaning from them. It is an antiquated, laughable approach to modern society. Either Americans are biologically inferior (they are not) or the system is rotten (which it is, and outdated).
1
"And sometimes you need to say how ugly it is."
The days of the "ugly American" are enjoying a comeback.
In the minds of Donald Trump's supporters, these are the "great" times they want back: Racial segregation. An intact U.S. economy after WWII while the rest of the world was in ashes. Gunboat diplomacy. A male-dominated society. The cold war and our arrogant misadventure in Vietnam.
Cultural regression has never been a winning move. But it's a lesson those who long for the past must be learn through their own suffering. There's a reason we've moved on. But these folks just don't get it.
Why argue with the wind? Words is all you know, Mr. Bruni.
Why not just wait for proof positive? Donald Trump is America, and 2020 will prove it.
And if not, I'll say I was wrong. and if you are wrong, will you? Doubt it.
1
Donald Trump may not be America, but America certainly IS Donald Trump. No one knows that better than black and Hispanic people who watch as juries acquit police officers caught on camera shooting an unarmed black man. Or a jury that convicts a young black kid that is shown on video playing in a high school basketball game at the exact time the prosecutor said he was out committing murder. Or the cop that pulls over the black motorist for failing to signal 100 feet before making a right turn, then dragging that motorist out of her car and arresting her when she expresses frustration.
Or the judge that sets her bail at $800 forcing her to remain in jail until she loses all hope and commits suicide in her jail cell. That prosecutor, that cop, that judge knows there are absolutely no negative consequences for their actions. The 'law' is nothing more than a weapon to be used to attack those without the power to resist. Black and Hispanic people have lived in Trump's America forever. Now the rest of America has the chance to experience the horror and stress of living in Trump's America.
33
Seriously? 46% of Americans voted for Donald Trump in 2016. Voters of every persuasion voted for Trump including 53% of white women despite everything we knew about his misogynistic behavior. And even today, at least 40% of Americans are hell-bent on voting for Trump, even if they should die (as one voter said about losing her Obama care). Trump is as much America as Yankee Doodle and Apple pie.
2
Sadly, wishful thinking won't change the facts. He sits where he is precisely because he is America.
5
You’re exactly on target, Mr. Bruni—needless to say.
My cynical obsession with the golf club king is clinical in spirit, because I grew up in the household of a predatory salesman.
We should see Trump as a kind of salesman who maps a suckering mentality into politics, which serves a certain Wall Street spirit superbly).
The spirit of avaricious Capitalism is dependent on the “whatever-it-takes” sale that advances the product, skirting the edge of criminal culpability.
The warrior salesman knows he’s weaponizing bluster. He’s proud of his routines. Like the deeply invested narcissist, he’s proud to be what he is, like the warlord who spawned the mob boss: “It’s just business, nothing personal.”
Such instrumentalization of business—weaponizing the sale—doesn’t have to think about its consequences, because a free market takes what it gets. It's a jungle, of course. So "you" give as little as possible, to win (and never listen more than you’re compelled to).
So, no wonder Trumpism treats international relations like a sales convention; and diplomacy is a kind of zero-sum dealmaking that fronts itself as win-win. That win-win ideology is the weapon of zero-sum, and others buy in because he's expert at reassuring the customer, whatever it takes. (Remember election night: "I will be the president of all Americans.")
The predatory Capitalist really believes that he’s in a war for a sale. He can’t understand politics any differently.
2
I am so outraged at Trump’s intrusion into the 4th of July celebration that I can barely write.How dare he intrude into a national holiday celebrated by family and friends and patriots.Trump does not love our country and it’s Constitution.He is looking for a staring role in a drama which he does not deserve to be part of.Remember, this is the guy who has fake Time magazine covers made with his picture on it.He wants this photo-op to use as part of his re-election campaign -he didn’t get a big enough crowd at his inauguration so he is going to try again by inserting his unwanted presence into an occasion which Americans celebrate.We are celebrating 1776 and our founding fathers, Washington, Adams and Jefferson and all the brave sons and daughters who have defended our country.Washington and Adams , who worked so hard to establish our American democracy lived every moment in hopes that it would survive and even willed themselves to both live to see the 50th anniversary of their work in 1776-these great patriots died within hours of each other on the 4th of July 1826!This is a chance to celebrate our Democracy-you are not a part of it, Mr.Trump.
9
At one level I suspect you are correct when you say "Donald Trump is not America". However, what that statement ignores is that the rest of the world does not have a nuanced view of the US, in the same way as the US and the vast majority of its people does not have a nuanced view of the rest of the world. In that context, Trump and his acolytes are painting the picture that is America for the outside world and with that are fundamentally changing America's reputation. For those who disliked/hated the US to begin with, Trump's ascendancy confirms all of their long harboured suspicions. In many ways the views of this group should not concern you too much as it really does not matter what you do, they will find a way to dislike it. What should worry you is that you are losing people like me. I lived in the US twice, two of our kids were born there and we loved it. Today, I simply would not want to live in the US. My kids have had opportunities to go to the US and have decided not to pursue them because they do not want to be associated with the image the US currently portrays. Are those thoughts rational, fair to most Americans, probably not but the fact that such emotions are ruling the roost is or ought to be a concern. If we want to be able to contain the worst instincts of the Russians and the Chinese we will have to stand together, today that willingness is disappearing fast. Trump is perceived to be America and that is what tips the scales.
16
Somewhere between a quarter and two-fifths of the population would disagree... and more's the pity, but those are the numbers, and they're pretty firm. Less than 50%, to be sure, but given demographics and the Electoral College, certainly enough to be a real problem.
3
Trump is everything that is racist, bigoted, anti-family, anti-woman, anti-worker, greedy, violent, anti-democratic and fearful in the worst US citizens and companies. Trump is the personification of the American Id.
8
In 1953 at the height of the Cold War, there was a low-budget psychologically scary sci-fi movie called Invaders From Mars, told from a child's viewpoint. The premise is familiar -- aliens have landed and taken over otherwise stable figures such as the police officer you turn to, your teacher, even your parents.
At first you couldn't be quite sure if the person you trusted had changed, except that there was a small scar on the back of their neck. And when you saw that, you felt dread.
This movie frightened me for years in the same way as the Senate testimony did yesterday. It seems that people in the public trust have been co-opted -- the glazed eyes of Deputy AG Rob Rosenstein; the lies of the AG; the lies and hypocrisy of the head of the Senate Oversight Committee; half the senators on the committee, just about all the Republican Senators and Representatives.
And maybe the same thing has happened to some of your family, friends, co-workers. Scars are on their necks.
We know the alien who arrived two years ago -- but how is he able to co-opt so many people? Who else that we should trust will be overtaken?
In the movie, it ended as a bad dream -- but with the ominous sound of a flying saucer landing. How will this situation end? What do we need to do?
It isn't a bad dream. It's a living nightmare, and we cannot know the end.
15
@Lea Lane
Thanks for reminding me of a movie that had as much effect on me as you. I probably saw it 5 times as a staple of local TV shows in the 60's.
Your review is spot on.
3
Amen, amen, amen! The title says it all!
1
Donald Trump is not America.
Donald Trump is the antithesis of America.
Donald Trump is what Vladimir Putin wants America to be.
11
Will the time for praising himself ever come to an end for this man? Not soon enough
4
"For Trump, everything — a national holiday, America itself — is an opportunity for brand enhancement, another tall building on which to slap the letters of his name in gold."
-For example. Frank Bruni is the Thomas Paine of our era. We are so blest, if we pay attention.
2
Ironic that Trump would want to commandeer a celebration of our freedom from tyrant King George.
7
The author says Trumpian logic is "more narcissistic than syllogistic."
In order to really understand that charge, one has to understand what narcissism is.
I can think of no better primer than one of the ancient Greek interpretations of the myth.
Narcissus was a young man who was beautiful, but who loved himself, and ultimately disdained and cruelly used the affections of others toward him.
The gods cursed him for this. His curse was as follows.
One day Narcissus was walking along a cool and still pond. He turned, and saw his reflection in the water, but, being unaware, did not realize he was looking merely at a reflection of himself. He thought he was looking at another human being, floating just beneath the water, a being whose beauty he had never seen before.
Narcissus knelt down at the water edge and behold! The person in the water also bent close. Narcissus bent to kiss the being, and so did they back!
The moment Narcissus's lips touched his reflection, the water broke the image. Narcissus was heartbroken. But then the beloved reappeared as the water stilled! Hope abides!
And so was Narcissus cursed to always chase the empty love of his own reflection.
plus ça change...
Donald J. Trump is not making America great again. (MAGA) POTUS is setting us back thirty to forty years by violating the Constitution that guarantees three equal co-branches of government in our country. He is the duly elected President of the United States, but he is not now, nor will he ever be King.
He needs congressional approval if he wants to take our country to war. But first this president needs to nominate, then obtain Senate confirmation for a Secretary of Defense. It’s highlights his sheer irresponsibility in basic fundamental governance. There are numerous other vacancies in other departments throughout this government that need to be filled. This dysfunctional administration’s incompetence is placing our national security at high risk!
With all due respects, a Deputy Secretary of Defense is not sufficient to maintaining the military chain of command in the overall long run, especially when this administration’s war hawks are trying to provoke another country, who is our sworn enemy, into war. Our military’s men and women lives are not pawns to be used as a PR stunt to get you re-elected!
We are counting the days till Election Day 2020 to repeat to Trump his famous two words from his now defunct television reality show, “Your Fired!”
1
Notwithstanding the play on words in connection with his most recent contemptible action, Trump actually is a manifestation of many American characteristics. To wit:
- adulation and love of money
- form over substance commercialism
- crass taste
- ignorant, insular, isolationist
- racist, nativist, misogynist
- violent, impulsive
He is not an aberration. He is a symptom of many major character traits in America.
The chickens have come home to roost.
7
What makes America great is the establishment, in writing, and the continued existence of a representative self-government structured in three co-equal parts that cross-check each other, so power is balanced upon and between the three parts - so no part ever gains too much power over the other two.
It is also great because it separates religious belief and governance to protect religious belief (its primary protection) and to ensure there is no higher governing authority than the governing power of the three parts of government established in our Constitution.
These are what make America great and these structures and principles continue to be the foundation upon which anything and everything else we are and we have are based.
It is not our capitalism, our economy, our diversity, our land, our wealth, that makes America great, as none of these would be possible (and will be lost) without our 3 co-equal branches, which form our checks and balances protections, and our separation of religion and state, which protects our religions and our collective authority to rule ourselves.
We are great because of our Constitution and our Founder-designed Accountability.
This is what we should put on baseball caps.
The Founders built our representative system and wrote the Constitution as our our protection and that system and founding document can be summarized as follows:
Make America’s Government Accountable
6
I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.
2
Do not show!!! The last time that I was on the Mall on the 4th was the Bicentennial, 1976! Do not give Trump the photo ops from the 4th to campaign on. It is our holiday and not this president’s. Take the power away from him. Celebrate July 4, 2019 as a community of Americans. Have block parties and sing and sing our patriotic songs and Americana. Shun the Mall. Trump takes the joy. He and his family are joyless, rich in bucks, but joyless in spirit. Take it back and do not give it to him.
3
I am in France for an extended trip. I love my country. I wore its uniform when I was drafted in 1967 and sent to Vietnam the following year. I always considered myself to be a proud American patriot
But I am ashamed of my country now that a man like Donald Trump could have been elected to the presidency.
People in France with whom I have spoken think him a fool. They are embarrassed for America! I don’t have a crystal ball so I do not know how the Trump Era will end: impeachment or a resounding defeat in 2020. But I do know that when it dies end I will be rejoicing as completely as the day I returned from Southeast Asia so many years ago.
16
Note it, and then go back to voting out Republicans at every level.
5
All federal employees -- including National Park Service -- (and frankly all of us) should remember what this man did to themselves, their families and their taxpaying communities with his (remember: he said it was his) horrible, cruel and needless government shutdown. Boycott and "shut down" "his" July 4 event.
4
Donald Trump Is Not America? He's president of America. An electoral majority of American citizens voted for him to lead America. Don't get me wrong, I despise Trump, the Republican Party and everything they represent, but to say Donald Trump isn't America is to have gone to sleep on November 8, 2016 prior to the polls closing and still be in a dead sleep. Donald Trump is America, warts and all.
3
An electoral majority is not a majority. The Electoral College, supposedly neutral, failed its duty by electing an obviously incompetent, mentally ill person the one from who the were supposed to save us, because the Republican party told them so. Popular vote is telling us we are a blue -majority country. Let's get rid of the Electoral College. One person. One vote.
1
don't make this a big deal, you are playing into his hands. If you were the responsible parent, this is not where you make a stand against a petulant child.
2
I'm from Boston. The Boston Pops on The Common on July 4th, for decades, has been the best combination of an unparalleled symphony orchestra and diverse guest vocalists and tons of tradition; the sing-along, and the cannons going off and the fireworks over the river.
I have been there in person and, when not living close enough, found a way to watch the Boston July 4th almost every year on TV.
I have also switched over to the DC celebration, the Capital Fourth, just to see what's going on, and, every year, it is boring and slow and so afraid of having anyone performing who might offend anyone that I'm surprised anyone bothers to go there. Major Yawn.
So, Trump is going to make this July 4th, in DC, all about him. And, make a speech....a campaign speech. Nobody has ever done that. Not ever. The man is deranged.
Good Luck. Who will he bully to perform?
My request: Find out how you can watch the Boston Pops on July 4th. Trust me, it will be so much better than the Trump event, and it will show you what it's like to have an event last for decades, almost all funded through private donations, and attended by generation after generation even if they have to get there 12 or more hours before it starts.
Please do not give Trump the satisfaction of saying that he had record crowds for his July 4th party!
If you live in the DC area, don't go to Trumps' party.
7
Your government considers Canada a security threat. Even if your country removes the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, I will never forget.
5
I have finally decided that Trump supporters will never change until they see grown men and women crying on TV about the death of our nation. I've yet to see anyone cry like they were at a funeral and anyone who hates Trump knows this is just as sad as any funeral. Why are people not crying on camera yet? Where are the tears for our failed democracy? Could someone shed a few tears for our constitutional crisis that Republicans claim does not exist probably because in reality we no longer have a constitution to protect us from Trump. He's burned it in the Oval Office fireplace. Could someone please cry out even if it is in vain?
3
that won't do it. it will happen when someone shames Trump in public with something his supporters understand as against them. disrespecting a group of white, blue-collar workers directly and them having a negative reaction on camera. Maybe in the debates if Warren or Sanders is the nominee and can genuinely invoke workers' rights.
3
A very small man needs a very large parade. You make the connection.
6
I prefer to focus on a strategy to defeat his ugliness in our next election. If his followers respond to fear, send targeted ads to them on social media, appealing to fear; fear of economic slavery or serfdom. Follow the leader into debtor's gaol. The policy decisions of Republican leaders favor the rich. They will appeal to those that oppose legal abortion, those who fear everything but especially gun control, and those that fear persecution for their white or Christian identity. Downplay those fears, but highlight what Republicans' economic policies do. Biden is old and out of touch. Sanders will poach more Trump voters than anyone else in the Democratic field. Trump is so hated, few will risk Fascism to proudly abstain from voting against him.
The Democrats have the overwhelming advantage that truth is on their side.
Nothing would serve this country better on Independence Day than to be independent of our deranged King Trump the First (and hopefully the Last).
Unfortunately, given the feckless Senate Republicans who have abandoned their constitutional responsibility--we may have to wait until July 4, 2021 to achieve our dream of No Trump.
Make sure to vote on Nov. 3, 2020 to Make America Sane Again (MASA)
3
On this Independence Day, as on last year’s, I will be flying my cherished American flag upside down in accordance with the United States Flag Code "as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property." My message: this country is in dire distress with this warped human being as president.
6
I hope Trump is not America but right now I’m not so sure. Watching his rallies and I see a very ugly version of America that is unrecognizable to me. The last midterms offered some encouragement but were not conclusive by any means. The scary threatening Trump rallies continue with chants of violence and retribution against imaginary villains. I believe Trump would like to turn the Fourth of July celebration into a version of one of these hideous rallies. Surely a majority of Americans would be repulsed by this image but there are a lot who would embrace it.
4
I agree with your criticisms of President Trump's narcissism and his inappropriate conflation of his own persona with the nation and its interests. However, there was plenty of Messianic fawning over President Obama, who never discouraged it. Obama is probably just as narcissistic as Trump. He just expresses it with more subtlety and nuance. Remember, this is a man who declared that the seas were now receding and the Earth was healing due simply to his ascendancy. This is a man who accepted a Nobel Prize for - well for being Barack Obama, isn't that enough.
2
Even Obama admits he didn't deserve a Nobel prize, but refusing to accept it? That would not play well.
3
On the contrary, Mr. Trump is indeed America, on its back, underbelly exposed.
3
What are the chances that you could amend your constitution to permit secession of a state? Why do you want to spend your life in a country like Alabama? A question as a Quebecer I had to ask about Canada. In other words, why do Scots want to leave the Uk?
Because Conservatives rule England. The people that rule your country are worse.
3
Trump, unfortunately, represents much of America, and a good solid half of white America. That has been a hard, hard realization for us who thought this country was better than it really is. But it is reality. But we ought not to have been surprised. Half of our history, yes, was about freedom, progress and a better world for all. But the other half was about slavery, genocide, destruction of the land, greed, selfishness, oppression. Why are we surprised that half of our history is alive and well in 40% of our population?
5
I can't decide whether it would be better to strongly encourage boycotting the event so the number of attendees is even less than his inauguration or to hold the biggest anti-trump, anti-a president who lies, is incompetent, is a cheat, etc. ever. Probably the latter is best. Start working on your signs!
Frank needs to get out of New York City and talk to people outside of the big Apple. Trump is well liked here in Nevada as his economic policiies have created tremendous job growth and employment. Actions speak louder than words. I doubt if Mrs. Clinton could have done anything for this country except hide more emails.
2
Someone mentioned earlier watching, "people change before their eyes". How many of us have witnessed that change in a neighbor or, as in my case, family? Of course, it is not really a change, but rather a manifestation of what was there all along.
Trump has made it impossible for any of us to pretend any longer that a large section of the American People do not merely support Trump, they are enthralled with him. The more grotesque & insidious his behavior & his actions, the more dedicated his base becomes. All he need do now is capture a small percentage of the fence sitters, in a hand full of small crucial (read electoral college) states & we have a brand new world.
One in which the quaint, decorative language found in our Constitution will be as ephemeral as orchids.
7
He doesn't need the people. He has the Russian hackers who have, according to Richard,Clark (former NEC and current cyber security expert), identified every swing county and can manipulate votes without anyone knowing. I suspect that is exactly what they did in 2016 and will i.prove in 2020.
3
I hope that in so politicizing the 4th of July, Trump will have instigated the largest mass demonstration in the history of the country.
A mass demonstration against him.
One in every American city.
It is time for Americans to quit reading the news about the news about politicians reading polls.
We need to show our faces.
I don't know about anyone else, but I don't feel like I've been counted lately.
We could change that.
11
Sorry Frank, Donald Trump IS America. Of the nine presidents since 1970, six have been Republican. In that same time Republican economic policies have gutted the middle class. Neoliberalism allowed a handful of people to prosper to obscene heights while the real income of the rest of Americans declined.
And a conservative electorate kept electing Republicans.
In that same period carnage from guns reached epidemic proportions and conservatives blocked every effort to address the crisis. Religious fundamentalism is on the rise and threatens to rob every woman of control over her own body. Republicans rig elections, allow foreign powers to openly interfere in them, and obstruct the political process.
Climate-change is a hoax. White nationalism is full of “good people.” Conservative school boards censor history books to teach an alternative reality. Republicans have eroded our system of checks and balances on presidential power.
And a conservative electorate keeps electing them.
America is naturally conservative in temperament. It is by far the most religious of any developed country. Myths in America have more credibility than facts. Freedom in America means individual freedom – freedom to do, not freedom from. Equality means “equal opportunity,” rather than an end.
And if conservative free-market policies destroy jobs and put healthcare out of reach – so be it. Conservative Americans don’t care; they care more about tribal values.
MAGA party on the fourth of July.
10
I understand how rational, well thought-out and written your comments are. But, please, please, for our country’s sake and the sake of so many smart, outraged, determined people, especially, the youngest voters, don’t ever say the word “is” with him and America ever again. This is not over, even if the dems seem like the scared fools that they are being right now.
Ultimately, both the young and honorable will fight this stain with all their hearts and souls. The atrocity that is in the Oval Office no more represents the ideals of the majority of our citizens than his inauguration had crowds. With much aid from his friend, Putin, while lying to people who foolishly bought into his shtick, for that’s what it was, he waddled into an election he lost by the popular vote of 3 1/2 million. There are far too many people who are sickened each new day by one of his endless perversions of our constitution or common decency.
It may unfortunately seem the way you are seeing it, but in World War II Germany seemed to be winning for at least the first three years...and I’m more than sure you’re aware of how that ended. It was then the greatest generation who saved the world, but don’t count out the resilience of the many generations here and now that will not rest until this evil is over and they can hold their heads up proudly once more.
He is NOT and never will be America, no matter how many parades he wastes our taxes on.
6
You nailed it!
5
I hear he is going to invade Poland—
1
As long as he stays blood pure on race and satisfies the dual national loyalties of his evangelical base, he's secure.
Farmers in the Plains states will go for him by 20 points over ANY Democrat, viewing their economic devastation due to tariffs as their patriotic duty for all Trump has done for them. On race, that is.
Trump is too cunning, moves too fast, is too much in control of all media for plodding Democrats to respond to effectively.
Biden, with a simple message of:
"We need a president we can trust"
is the best bet for winning back crucial Reagan Democrats and thereby the so called blue wall states.
And don't think he's not keeping Iran in his back pocket to pull out at a moment's notice if Biden's poll numbers continue to look good.
7
Sadly, I would have to disagree with Mr. Bruni's otherwise eloquent piece: there ARE, in fact, MANY Americans who actually support the current occupant of the White House - just look at the numbers: usually >40% approval rating. I can't recall the name of the well-known comedian and social critic, but he said something to the effect that Obama symbolized what America aspires towards; Trump symbolizes what America actually is.
8
"Trump is not America"
That is the problem, you've got it backward, Trump is America. How do you think he won the Presidency. And as of today he is above 45% in approval ratings. His rallies pack them in with wildly cheering crowds. Except for the liberal East and West Coast, he maintains his 90% favorability rating with Republicans.
"President Trump’s outrages, absurdities and indelicacies arrive with such frequency"
Finish the sentence; that Republican voters can't get enough. "We want more sir".
13
Soon to be 83 years old, I feel America reached its peak 1940-60. I was in kindergarten when Pearl Harbor was attacked, but even as a grade school student, I could feel how united we were. Now, we hate each other. The themes, “coastal elites and flyover country” were unknown. We were all Americans. I was born and raised in western NY, and knew nothing of segregation. The internment of the Japanese was never mentioned. My home town, Niagara Falls, was a city of immigrants, including my family. My father was born in Scotland. But there were no Asians or Latinos in the pubs schools I attended. But we all felt America was the finest country on earth. I don’t feel that way anymore, even as a retired Air Force colonel. I think Canada has better values and takes better care of its citizens. I hope we can turn this around, after 2020, and recover from our current nightmare.
29
Dear America:
If it’s any consolation please remember that, like the popular minority of American voters, a popular minority of the rest of the Western world regard Trump’s presidency as anything more then a political aberration. Don’t take him too seriously or overestimate his impact on your country. The rest of us don’t.
9
America is a seesaw. The kids playing on the seesaw are the American people. There are only 2 kids allowed on this toy so the two big bullies are the 2 parties in our political system. As the years have passed the distance between the two kids (R’s and D’s) on the seesaw has increased, sometimes in a small increments decrease. Lately the tribal madness has pushed the American people to the breaking point of this seesaw. How far of a distance can this seesaw handle before it splits in half?
I don’t remember who I heard this from, but I am in agreement that we are presently in a “cold civil war”.
Well, to most people overseas, Trump is America. He won the election and he represents the country. Despite so many scandals, personal shortcomings and pathologies, a lot of Americans still support him.
He might actually get re-elected, and it’s going to be even harder to draw a distinction.
4
He wants to move the celebration away from the National Mall, because he knows the media will show photo comparisons of the sparse crowd at his inauguration (which he claimed was the largest and most-attended in history) and the massive crowds that always turn out for the Independence Day celebration there.
7
Obviously, this reincarnation of Mussolini has captured the fear, racism, misogyny, ignorance and disdain for knowledge and fairness held by a significant minority of Americans. With Betsy DeVos busy ensuring ever more Americans will grow up disadvantaged, gullible, fearful and intolerant, Trumpolini may not BE America, but he is surely the mascot of its ugliest impulses.
23
Trump has been rightly negatively define in so many ways that it could fill a large novel. The reality is that only two words work perfectly. Loser fraud.
7
Trump is slowly but surely devouring America’s soul.
15
I despise the predatory onslaught that these squadrons of flying GOP flunkies have unleashed on the (actual, not poll-twisted) majority of US citizens at the behest of their scheming, secretive, ultra-rich money masters. People need, want and deserve better (much better!!) from the (their!) national government. Period. The blatant corruption, the stunning ignorance, and the ever-increasing chaos that these GOP stooges unleash daily on the US is just hateful. It is short-sighted, un-Christian, anti-democratic, darkly shameful, and it positively reeks of sinister billionaires and pitch.
13
"... perhaps stitched onto a throw pillow that he uses for lumbar support while slumping at the Resolute Desk."
omg Mr. Bruni, you have made me fall off my chair with laughter. Thank you.
Your skills as a critic and essayist are unbounded.
5
Trump is an abomination on all levels. In addition to being dishonest, corrupt and a bigot, he is incompetent. Nonetheless, he is what a significant slice of America apparently wants, which is the most sad and scary part. The American dream is close to being finished. His re-election and the continuing success of his party might well do the job. Resist.
14
Trump is everything America aspires not to be.
14
Nothing could cap of my Independence Day Celebration than to witness King Donald being deposed. As to his day to day tweets, the twit no longer has my attention.
7
I have taken my flag down. This is no longer my America. This 4th of July, I will be wearing black as I will be mourning the death of what was once a fine country.
29
We should all remind ourselves every day that Trump would be nowhere near the White House if the majority of our fellow citizens bothered to perform their most BASIC patriotic duty; to vote.
That's the really sad part of this horrible situation.
(And of course special mention goes to those who get caught up in Russian social media propaganda and fall for the silly and hopeless Jill Steins of the world!)
22
And Bernie. He and his bros are not forgotten in this mess; I will never forgive them.
The only thing I would celebrate about Donald Trump is his leaving office and taking all his miscreants with him. I do not want to hear him speak on July 4th or anytime, since I already know what he'll say: "Me. Me. Me. I am your favorite president. Me. I always win. Me." I've heard that tired refrain. No more. Independence Day is an all-American celebration, not a Trump rally. Ever.
Where are the politicians in Washington - the only people who can derail this crisis before it becomes terminal - with the backbone and fortitude to say "Enough"? That's the speech I want to hear - and it won't come from the liar-in-chief, not on July 4th and not ever.
14
It's fine for Donald to take over as the turkey on Thanksgiving Day, but not on the Fourth of July.
5
When the United States of America failed to listen to a nuclear engineer who put solar panels on the White House and wore a sweater instead of turning up the heat lt invited Trump into the White House.
Trump is a sick and needy human being who cares little about the future and always seeks immediate gratification.
There is nothing that screams America so much a the addiction to hucksterism and living only in the moment and the inability to take care of your mess, your neglected infrastructure and your inability to prepare for the future as your delayed pubescence Head of State.
Sadly it is your best, brightest and most loyal who will pay the price for your Peter Pan Nation.
How ironic is it that the politician who best recognizes the moment and its necessary actions is still too young to seek the Presidency.
11
Trump is clearly the dumbest public speaker in American history. When not reading a script, nothing the man ever says has any intellectual content. Even when Barack Obama spoke in jest, he expressed wisdom (see response to Jerry Seinfeld's question on what sport is closest to the presidency in "Comedians in Cars"). I can't recall Trump ever uttering a proper, complete English sentence that made any sense. I also can't remember a single instance where the man spoke the truth. I can't stand his pontifical tone of voice so I tune him out and turn him off. Why can't the media do the same and cover stories that could enrich our republic (science, history, the arts, literature) instead of dumbing us all down by playing mindless sound bites of rhetoric from a circus clown? Ignore him.
America flourished after the Civil War after the readmission of 770,000 square miles of territory and 9.1 million white Southerners into the Union. Granted that the destruction of slavery and 3.5 million freed slaves helped them realize that their past Southern life was over, white supremacy became expressed in different forms, and survives and is growing again today. It didn't die after Brown, Archie Bunker, or even a black president.
Eventually, Trump's racist supporters will lose their figurehead, but their ideas of nativism and racial hatred will eventually be given another outlet.
Only when Christ truly makes His home in our hearts will we be able to love all people as Christ does (Gal. 3:28).
2
At least 35% of the American public had been waiting for someone exactly like Trump. A film flam snake oil salesman who tells them they are the true Americans. That misogyny, racism, xenophobia and homophobia are ok. That those rich educated snobs in metro areas are stealing all of your money.
These Trump people are not going away when Trump goes away they will just wait for another Trump to emerge from the hot mess that the Republican party has become.
14
Sarcasm alert.
The Constitution is merely a relic. An outdated symbol of what the President has called a failing, beaten by every other country, corrupt swamp that was the United States before our leader President Trump was elected to rescue our nation.
Do we or don't we want to "Make America Great Again?"
Reset the clocks to the year zero beginning the day Trump was sworn into office. Scrap the old rules and laws that made the United States the worlds biggest losers. And let Trump recreate the nation in his own image and rule us as he sees fit.
Remember, only Trump can "fix" it. And it's what God wants.
Right?
1
On the Trump - Orban relationship
1. Victor Orban was the only EU president, who
supported the election of Trump in 2016
2. In spite of his early support, Mr. Orban had to
wait three years to be received in the White House
3. The White House, demonstratively, invited the much
less important President of Slovakia, in office for only
one year, Peter Pellegrini , before inviting Mr. Orban
Why
Mr Orban is pursuing policies against the foreign interest of the United States. Starting with the Ukraine, whose approach to NATO is being blocked by Mr. Orban, to permitting Huawei to build the largest technical center in the EU in Hungary, employing over 2000. Other irritants
are that Hungary extradited arms dealer sought by Washington to Moscow, rather than the US, and accepted the transfer the International Investment Bank (IIB) from Moscow to Budapest
It is discouraging to read articles in the NY Times that are not based on accessible facts
https://bbj.hu/finance/agreement-signed-on-iib-budapest-headquarters_161068
2
I am actually weary after three years of "Trump is not America" essays and opinion pieces. The ugly and unpalatable truth is that Trump is VERY MUCH America. If we were not stupid, cruel, bigoted, lazy, and greedy NO ONE would have taken Trump seriously and he would have been finished two weeks after the Golden Escalator Extravaganza. The media gave him a free ride, the GOP did nothing to stop him, and almost 40% of the electorate stayed home instead of voting. Even the quirky and incompetent Gary Johnson would have been a better choice. Sorry Frank but the reason Trump is in the White House is because he struck a responsive chord with enough people who actually voted for him.
10
If all of you don't like this president, then stop driving cars so much. Don't go to Wallmart. Don't use Amazon. Don't watch any TV. Stop paying attention to sports. Swimming and archery are recreation. Tethered ball and badminton. Get rid of your hand held device. Stop doing drugs. Cool it with the drinking.
You know what this president stands for. Stop participating.
Trump is an autocrat . The next thing he will want to do is to have posters of himself plastered all over DC like Kim Jung Un . And who’s there to stop him ?
Nobody.
We are in the midst of a hostile takeover of our country’s democracy by this thug. And I’m afraid with Republicans enabling him , he gets closer and closer to that goal everyday .
13
Why isn't every decent American on our side?
Why doesn't every decent American vote Democratic?
Is it true that every critic of the Democrats is a terrible bigot?
Some people have a very different view.
Many people see the Democratic leadership in the House
defending everything that Representatives Tlaib and Omar so an say, even though the vast majority of Americans are sincerely really very offended by what they say in what many American think is extremely bigoted.
With respect to antisemitism, Jews, satisfaction with the Holocaust, etc., why does the Democratic leadership immediately rush to their defense, when most Americans sincerely find their remarks to deeply offensive?
Many Americans, perhaps most Americans, see the Democratic leadership undermining common decency in America by constantly defending terribly offensive bigoted and racist remarks by Tlaib and Omar.
@David You and Fox News and members of the GOP do not understand, or more accurately, refuse to acknowledge the full context of Ms. Talib's comment. Meanwhile, you and your ilk have no problem with Trump's blatant racism and his Muslim ban. The GOP, Trump, and his supporters are the epitome of hypocrisy.
He may not be 'your America' but the election tells us that he is close to 'half of America'. We need to sppreciate this painful fact before we can address the obvious problem.
Moreover, I would argue that for those half of Americans, the Democrats are not their America either. Once Democrats accepts their stumble in the election and stop calling them deplorables, we can begin 'understanding' these Americans and helping them improve their lives.
I would also argue that opinion writers that pen op/eds for the Times are probably not the 'average American' either....
1
When I discovered amongst ‘friends’ serious racism I cut them out of my life and used the word racist to describe them. It would have served no one if I did not use that word. Same for words such a fascist.
2
I would love to think that trump would be massively booed and/or ignored at the National Mall on the 4th of July. My guess, however is that trump and his supporters will descend on Washington for a massive rally egged on by Fox and assorted republican associations. I shudder to think what might happen when the heavily democratic residents meet up with the trumpians. Charlottesville will seem like a church picnic. Scary.
7
Fort Sumter.
Maybe a lot of serious publications should declare “No Trump Days” every so often. Publish only items that are about some important presidential action.
1
Most of Donald Trump's problems can quickly be ameliorated by his taking two or three Ambien CR every morning just as soon as he gets up. Some people just don't do well when they are up and wakeful. I think we have to be sensitive to that.
1
"... sometimes you need to pause and listen. And sometimes you need to say how ugly it is."
And sometimes you need to put all your efforts into registering Democratic voters. And sometimes you need to persevere in convincing them that they are doing the right thing. And sometimes you need to unite and rally behind the Democratic nominee.
And sometimes you need to just get it all done, with hope, and with vigor, and with resolve.
Because no one else is going to do it for us. Because no one is coming to save us. Because our only chance is to save ourselves.
6
Trump fiddles (or golfs, or tweets) happily while our country burns in tariff trade wars and possible real war with Iran. Anything to keep the investigative hounds from digging into the garbage heap that has become the White House.
Lawrence O’Donnell, The Last Word of May 14, covers details on the frightening prospect of Russian ability to create even more election chaos in 2020 then they did in 2016.
What kind of U.S. president takes no action to prevent further attacks on our election systems, the very essence of our Democracy? Please, Congress, begin the Impeachment process!
4
"This is the largest crowd ever assembled (wait for applause). These are the grandest fireworks that will ever be displayed. It will light up Tehran (wait for paid actors to rush the stage). I alone have made this nation greater than it has ever been (actors swoon). How about that electoral college victory, huh," said the President 1 hour and 15 minutes into a 2 hour dust up to fuse lighting time.
Hands off my favorite holiday Mr. Trump. Let's compare powder burns the day after.
2
I am not as optimistic on the 'intelligence' of Americans when 40% of the electorate still supports Donald Trump two and half years after his Presidency. His supporters see in him part of themselves. They are like Trump - racist, xenophobic, gun lovers, anti abortion, anti elites, anti gay, anti science.
The damage Trump has inflicted on the nation could be permanent. His lawlessness in open defiance of Congressional subpoenas is a challenge to the US democracy. He acted as though he was a king, emboldened by the compliant Republican lawmakers, who are no patriot at all. Yet, Democrats still debate if he should be impeached!
Although the country still has lots of good people, the divisiveness is not going to end anytime soon, if ever.
2
The networks should refuse to broadcast his speech. But of course Fox will. How can we get the other networks not to broadcast his speech?
1
Reality TV star turned President. Not unexpected. Most outside of the NY Metro area know him from the TV show, not the failed businessman those in NY-NJ-etc know. Therefore what you get with him is what you would expect. Shameful, yes. But in the future, like 2020, Democrats need to nominate the candidate best positioned to beat him in those 7-8 states that will, sadly, decide the election.
3
45th is from Kallstadt, German wine country bordering France, grandson of a German barber, that was the only skill his granddaddy had, cutting hair. No computer at that time 1885.
Many local communities have fire works. No need to go downtown DC while this fool is in office. But looking forward to the celebration on the 4th when he is out of office, that truly will be an Independence Day celebration.
2
...And when Obama was president, Trump didn't have even a respectful word for him.
3
It's pretty ironic how high up Trump wants to be placed, considering how low he has taken our highest office.
3
No, Mr. Bruni. Trump is, indeed, America. There are tens of millions of exceptions, but the average American is greedy, uneducated, and self-obsessed. Trump is a reflection of what we have become. And many of the exceptions didn't even bother to vote against an obvious demagogue. We not only have a constitutional crisis in America--we have a moral crisis.
6
If you think that Donald Trump is not America you are sadly mistaken. He happens to be exactly 40% of America - 47% that voted for him minus the 7% he's lost. We would like to think that the ignorant red hat wearing xenophobes he represents are not typical Americans. Four out of ten, however, is a fairly high incidence of occurrence.
Some of us refused to vote because Bernie wasn't on the ballot. Some of us refused to vote because Hillary Clinton was not President Obama. Some of us just didn't care at all. Either way, we let these people take power. To try to say now that he doesn't represent America is a bit rich.
3
Joe Biden has been making nice with the GOP. He says they will normalize when trump is gone. He says he will work with the GOP to do great things. That is beyond idealism, that is being a sucker. This is no time for appeasement. I am torn as I express this view because on the other hand I think Joe is the only dem who can defeat trump. Scary times.
2
@karen
If the choice was between Biden and Bernie I'd vote Bernie. Between Biden and Elizabeth Warren I'd vote for Warren. Between Bernie and Warren I'd still vote for Warren. But that's not the choice we have. The choice is between a treasonous con artist and a decent man who is a bit of a glad hand politician, but still a patriot. There is no comparison between Biden and Trump. If that's the choice, then Biden it is.
2
@Kagetora Vote blue, no matter who. If the Democrats fight over who is eventually nominated and hold grudges and don't vote because their nominee lost, then Trump wins again. Every Democrat and Independent must vote, and vote as if the survival of this country depends on it, because it does.
3
"Independence Day ... pays tribute to a country being born, not a leader being crowned."
Reminiscent of Julius Caesar's crowning as Emperor, no? And we all know how that ended.
2
As "quintessentially American" as the Duke and the Dauphin in Huckleberry Finn.
3
@Robert Bott
And Pap Finn is the very model for Trump's followers.
1
To be honest, I’ve never had the least bit of awareness of 4th of July in Washington DC. Never saw a news report about it. I had no idea what they did. Trump being the center of attention would have totally escaped my attention, as he deserves, except for essays like this and the front page news reports of the last couple of days. He deserves to be ignored.
@Marty All the politicians, including the President, typically leave Washington during the July 4th recess. They know that Independence Day is about the people, not them. I'd like to hope Trump is ignored on the 4th, but Fox News and his supporters will turn this holiday into his biggest campaign rally to date. Truly un-American.
1
Trump ain't America? The majority vote in 2016 would have one think so. Unfortunately, lies, hypocrisy, incompetence, willful ignorance of the facts and undiluted greed inspire enough Americans to support an Administration totally at odds with their own needs. Most distressing is the clear and present danger of a nascent dictatorship which has not yet been greeted with a truly huge collective outcry. Sure, we've a newly empowered House pointing out the unforgivable sins of this presidency and yet still waffling, for political reasons, on the question of impeachment. Never mind the non-existent moral stand of the GOP which has sold its tattered soul to the devil. Are we to sleepwalk though this nightmare? Allow Fox and their Friends to go unchecked? Not only will the price paid be onerous. The power grab will be permanent, sewn up and buttressed by the judicial appointments made in the last two years - the Supreme Court's deeply conservative majority nothing less than a reflection of white, covertly overt racism and mysogyny. Ironically so with the worst appointment, Thomas, ever silent, a human sleeping sickness on the bench, yet passing his deadly gas, without ever demonstrating an ability to pen eloquently. Let's hope that Trump is not America, that year 2020 will also reflect the U.S.'s clear - restored - vision when they go to the polls. The bad tooth needs to be extracted.
3
trump IS America. He bought it. He owns it. He is above all law. In other words, though the media pretends this not to be the case, he is transformiong a country from a democracy into a dictatorship. He will soon proclaim himself president-for-life.
1
Upon reading that Donald Trump was shoving his way into America’s Independence Day celebration, I experienced a combination of anger and nausea. How dare this man, who willingly accepts campaign help from a foreign adversary, and who trusts the word of Vladimir Putin over our own intelligence community, thrust himself into our national day of patriotism! He is simply not welcome!
3
There was a time not that long ago when I would have agreed with you, Frank, but no more. I think, tragically, that Donald Trump IS America, and we’ve been hurtling toward that for a while now. I can’t express how sick and hopeless that makes me feel.
4
Two options for the our new independence day: the day he walks out of the white house or the day his heart stops. Your choice.
3
He gets nothing done but hyperventilating on the lawn, or on Twitter. He's easily led by the similarly unscrupulous. Has no accomplishments. Unless upsetting us every day could be one.
Republicans do nothing but install judges, and protect an obviously difficult, perhaps criminal president who is apparently sick and tired of us talking about what he's been accused of.
Just as it is nonsensical to talk about ‘me’ as just my head (or heart or groin), it is not correct to think of Trump as one person. Trump is a team. Trump is nothing without Fox. He is nothing without McConnell and Ryan and Barr and Conway and Sanders and the many other voices who prop him up, lie for him, cheat for him, muddy the waters, and shatter objective reality itself. Trump is a show. He’s an influence campaign. Seeing him from this model might give us insight as to where to pull and make this dangerous and despicable house of cards fall. Rosenstein seems like a weak link. Why did he behave the way he did. I hypothesize that a few key players, people with leverage have been bribed or extorted to lay down their reputations and even freedoms to spin the alternative narrative of Trump as a skilled businessman serving his country and the corrupt deep state and wacko left are the real traitors. They smear career officials ruthlessly and seed conspiracy theories, said by enough people and broadcast by Fox that soon who knows what is real and what fiction. Who are the weak links in this?
5
I add Robert Mueller to this crowd, whose drop in reputation from high to gutter will be as drastic as that of Colin Powell, a formerly decent measured Patriot who enabled a massive murderous crime and is now an untouchable.
3
On July 4th, instead of the majestic brass,woodwinds and percussion blaring out John Phillip Sousa's "The Stars and Strips Forever", I'll be listening to a Dirge to America's lost soul- "Winter In America" by Gil Scott-Herron:
The Constitution
A noble piece of paper
With free society
Struggled but it died in vain
And now Democracy is ragtime on the corner
Hoping for some rain
And I see the robins
Perched in barren treetops
Watching last-ditch racists marching across the floor
But just like the peace sign that vanished in our dreams
Never had a chance to grow
Never had a chance to grow..
2
Last time I checked a healthy majority of white-Americans did in fact vote for Trump. I think he represents America a lot more than people would like to admit.
3
With all due respect Mr. Bruni, who do you think Rush Limbaugh has been talking to these last twenty years? With the help of Fox News and the Electoral college the right's grip on power has only just begun. There's no problem they can't pin on the left and they do it to great effect. Once again we'll have a fractured Democratic field in 2020. Divided we fall, and fall we will.
1
With all due respect Mr. Bruni, who do you think Rush Limbaugh has been talking to these last twenty years? With the help of Fox News and the Electoral college the right's grip on power has only just begun. There's no problem they can't pin on the left and they do it to great effect. Once again we'll have a fractured Democratic field in 2020. Divided we fall, and fall we will.
There’s an easy fix here, at least for Fourth of July. If TV viewers choose instead to watch the New York City fireworks instead of a Capitol Fourth, Trump will find his TV fire dampened down, his adulation anemic. The NYC fireworks with marching band music is a fantastic way to celebrate Independence Day. Let’s deny the reality show host his ratings and enjoy a real celebration of our independence.
2
Trump is what America has become, but certainly not the hopeful vision of America of the founding fathers.
It appears that 35 to 40% of citizens are done with America and want an authoritarian style government, and Trump wants to be their iron fisted dictator. Mitch McConnell, and most of the Republicans in Congress seem to agree.
It’s odd to hear them call their foes un-American.
10
Regrettably for Mr. Bruni, wishful thinking doesn't make it so. Mr. Trump is the picture of début de siècle America where the riverboat gambler and Amway salesman are celebrated as "entrepreneurs" and the wrecking of once venerable institutions is called "creative destruction." But then the alternative to him was a woman steeped in her own marinade of corruption and hucksterism, with almost three decades of poor judgment and serial failures under her belt that her fawning acolytes imagined made her "the most qualified candidate in the nation's history.'
We have the President we so richly deserve.
1
"But he’s neither synonymous with the country nor indispensable to it, obvious distinctions that routinely elude him."
When you think that the Fourth of July became a national holiday because it symbolized the victory of the people over a king, in an odd way, you see why he wants to make it all about him.
For, isn't he acting like a king, thinking like a king, thinking he is a king? And you know something, for this particular time, he is because of the way his royal GOP subjects bow down and worship.
Not the rest of the country. We don't want anyone interrupting the holiday, let alone someone as needy as Trump who wants to give a speech? About what --OK, don't ask.
People want to watch fireworks not listen to someone who doesn't seem to realize how unpopular he is, particularly in the city where he resides in his gilded White House cage, far from the needs of ordinary citizens who just want to get away from him.
You know he'll try to turn the celebration into a rally. Which is why, I hope that nobody shows. Nobody! Except maybe members of his administration who have to attend.
This president can take the fun out of the Fourth.
3
I disagree with Mr. Bruni in that America, collectively, either supports him directly(His Base and who voted for him) or the majority that is content to talk and complain on all social media and other vehicles without taking aggressive action to change the present situation. He represents all of us.The one that actively support him and the rest that are so busy with other "Things" and consumption instead of rebelling.
"...I have met the enemy and it is me..!"
And yet Donald Trump continues on. Because he has not been disabled his actions and his presence have been accepted. He has been enabled. He is the President of the United States.
1
Yes, Donald Trump represents only about 40 percent of America. But, thanks to the antiquated and undemocratic Electoral College, America is now enslaved to Donald Trump. So we can protest all we want that we are better than this, but the Electoral College does not make that distinction.
9
I’m not a single worried because I know when global warming really hits us hard in the next few decades it will be in right leaning states.
Well watch a mass exodus to democratic candidates who have been trying for years to put bills on the books that curb our CO2 emissions.
It’s a ways away but not that far away.
As long as republicans are denialist of the impending ecological catastrophes time is on the dems side.
3
Wait until Christmas when the Honorable Mr. Trump makes himself the centerpiece of the season.
3
No, Mr. Bruno, Donald Trump is America. If a presidenta election were held today, the man would be re-elected. Trust.
5
@Maria
Maybe so.
But, he is not America.
This is America:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. . . “,
And Trump is none of that.
5
I agree with many of the earlier comments that point out the fact that 40% of the populace (and 90% of the GOP) have gone off the rails. The reasons these people support trump may vary, from feeling free to express their hate, to wanting to turn the country into a fundamentalist Christian theocracy, to stealing everything they can from the 99%, or just to keep their tribe in power. It makes no difference. If these folks can still support such a monster after all this time, only force of circumstance (e.g., great suffering) will cause them to wake up. That's where we're headed. Of course, it doesn't have to be this way, but people probably said the same thing right before the Civil War started.
30
@Frosty
And this appears to be a restart of the civil war.
4
It's very difficult to argue that leaders misrepresent countries, particularly in an existential crisis. To me; it seems that leaders reflect a country's strength, and weakness. How is anyone going to accept you are something other than what we see, especially those who distrust America from the start? This is by-stander apathy! I can hear young women calling for help. Stand up and fight to get your country back.
5
I used to think that way.
But, many Americans are supporting him and his ideas, right or wrong. He may possibly win the next election.
After all, Donald Trump IS America.
5
I share the sentiments but differ in interpretation. Trump mirrors a significant slice of America, feeds on their fears and anxieties creating a messiah like cult following. Rooted in the 2008 economic meltdown ruinous for the most vulnerable defined by loss of jobs, houses, cars, credit cards and dignity. The knife twisted deeper into the psyche by the election of a black President. The traditional GOP unleashed two failures on those who voted against their own interests in favor of party emptying hearts and souls. Sarah Palin first followed by Trump to sell out the party of Lincoln in pursuit of power. Trump may disappear the Trumpeteers here to stay.
6
Like it or not, and put me in the strong not category, Trump DOES reflect a disturbingly large segment of America. Regardless of what he does, or says, or tweets about,it is welcomed and cheered by almost half the country. What is most difficult to get my head around is why, and why him? He lies daily, his policies - if you can even call them that - only help the smallest but richest segment of the population and hurt a huge portion of Americans, many of which voted for him, he has zero regard for the law, zero interest in any part of the Constitution, is friendlier with dictators than our allies, is using his office to enrich himself further, isn't the least bit concerned over foreign influence in our elections, attacks our bedrock institutions daily, and seems to be setting himself up for being King for life. And the Republicans are fine with everything. DJT is the greatest danger this nation has ever faced, and an incredible amount of the population is cheering him on. We, as a country, have clearly lost our way, and that's why impeachment is so important.
22
Mr Bruni, in this column you are guilty of exactly what you try to avoid in the first paragraph. I'm not saying your criticism of Trump isn't valid this time, but it is no more valid than all kinds of other things that everyone criticizes him for. And in fact you are criticizing him for something he hasn't even really quite done yet, only what it seems he intends to do. Go ahead and make your criticisms, but stop with the self-righteousness and stop criticizing the rest of us for doing what you also do.
3
"Donald Trump Is Not America"
No, but the fact that he is still cruising through his first term largely unimpeded says something disturbing about what America has become. The gap between Trump and the rest of America is uncomfortably small.
The Mueller report did not exonerate Trump; it laid out his crimes in vivid detail. But Mueller concluded that he lacked the legal authority to pull the trigger. The Constitution assigns that task to Congress. And we all know how that's going to turn out.
Donald Trump presents a major test for the American Establishment. Its claim to legitimacy depends on its ability to manage an internal crisis of this sort. If it fails to meet the challenge of Trump, the corrosive effect of such failure on the institutional status quo will be consequential.
8
And with regard to the continuance of “The American Establishment,” let the chips fall where they may! The American people said as much in electing Mr. Trump, much to the consternation of many self professed members of “The American Establishment,” members of which are both Republicans and Democrats. Rather it seems that “The American Establishment” is the group which is out of step with ordinary Americans, not Mr. Trump.
3
We cannot say that Donald Trump is America. However, he is part of America. He is the current president of the country. We cannot ignore this fact.
1
Sorry, Frank, but Trump is indeed America.
Even though he is supported by a minority of Americans, Trump and the Republican Party have manipulated and pushed the rules so that 35-40% support is enough to keep power and enhance through court packing and voter suppression.
The ugliness and division that Trump has unleashed are going to be with us for a long time. Maybe forever.
5
Yes, right now, Trump is America.
It soothes your soul to plead that he's not and I certainly understand the imperative to soothe one's soul in these times but until such time as the Constitution of the United States of America is once again the law of the land, Donald Trump is America.
1
If trump is not America then what do you say about the entire Republican party ?
Unfortunately both are the real ,ugly unchecked id of the nation.
If we want to change this we will all have to agree to push for paper ballots for every election moving forward. Otherwise the same operators will have freedom to continue to destroy this nation.
3
He wants a parade, and I would give him one.
I envisage the declaration by Congress of a great national holiday on the day he is impeached and removed from office, ten days of night and day celebrations, military parades with jet plane overflights of the Capitol Rotunda, hundreds of marching bands replete with high-stepping drum majors and baton-twirling majorettes, floats manned and womaned by Hollywood celebrities, open-air concerts by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, fireworks over the Potomac and the ringing of church bells throughout the land.
All of this culminating in a solemn ceremony on the White House Lawn in which residents of Puerto Rico are invited to toss off-brand paper towels in his direction.
Of course we will also need to begin planning angry protests demanding the expulsion from office of the awful Pence, Trump’s unindicted partner-in-crime, but let’s leave that for another day.
First, Trump should have his parade. America has earned it.
12
I can’t help but think of Shoeless Joe Jackson’s response to the boy who said, “Say it ain’t so, Joe!”
“I’m afraid it is,” Joe replied.
And, Frank, the same statement and answer is true about President Trump. He’s America. Or at least ‘Murica.
3
There is only one cure for Trump's madness: He simply must go broke. Only losing his fortune will bust the crazy trance he lives within. Only when his black card is declined will he know his lunacy and truth. This is why any and all who see through the pretense of this insanely overconfident, unethical man must boycott all Trump related businesses. He is massively leveraged on all fronts. Leverage = risk. He is so close to tipping over. It will take less than most think to sink his gold plated ship. Deutsche Bank: you are going to regret the day you met Donald Trump. All arrogance is ultimately met with an equal amount of humility. The more dramatic the arrogance, the more dramatic the humility is guaranteed to be.
3
Au contraire, Mr. Bruni, and unfortunately so.
To declare that 'Donald Trump Is Not America,' is simply not true when you consider how many Americans voted for him and how many continue to support his brand of greed, incompetence, corruption and hypocrisy. They, along with the illegitimate help of our most formidable sworn enemy voted him in and continue to support his amoral and egregious behavior regardless of whether he and his complicit and complacent accomplices in Congress are well on their way to destroying our democracy in less than four years.
As for your last sentence ('And sometimes you need to see how ugly it is.'), beauty seems to be in the frenzied eyes of his fanatic beholders who pledge their unconditional support to his cruel, destructive and autocratic form of government.
Bottom Line: America is no longer America and may never be again.
Vote.
394
@Guido Malsh
You are overlooking the fact that the Trump Republican voters voted for in 2016 is not the same Trump today. First, Trump has probably committed an additional 9,000 or more lies since 2016; he has put the nation in chaos because of his tariff wars; he has managed to alienate our long-time allies, especially members of NATO; he has undermined our Agreement with IRAN; he is pulled out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, etc etc
28
@Yusuke
In response to your response, I agree w/everything you said, with the addition that those who voted for Trump in 2016 were just as much voting against Hillary.
11
@Guido Malsh
My thoughts exactly while reading this otherwise excellent column. Not to mention his enablers, cheerleaders, and vigorous/hostile defenders in the GOP congress. I don't recognize this place anymore.
27
There is a 5 alarm fire happening. The sad thing is back at the fire station Captain Pelosi won’t call out the trucks. She has this misguided notion that the fire will eventually extinguish itself on its own. Doesn’t she realize the fire is getting worse by the hour?
We need a new fire chief ASAP.
110
@Duke
Watch with patience and learn. I have 120% confidence in Pelosi's instincts and political skill & acumen. No need for hotheads in the House.
30
@Duke
Pelosi may be the most important person in America right now. We don't need someone pouring gasoline on the fire just to prove they're a person who knows how to take action. Instead, we need leaders who can retain their senses and take appropriate measures, which, in this case, means applying pressure on Trump until we can remove him at the ballot box. Like it or not, that is the only productive option on the table.
42
@J Darby
Wait....Pelosi’s political skill & acumen? Wasn’t she and all the D.C. professional democratic consultants and ruling class all about taking down Bernie in 2016? We got Hillary and the result? Pelosi and the old guard set up the perfect political storm. What a gift to Trump. Pelosi is SO overrated by the Washington press.
JDarby, I’m totally on your side - but we have to fire up the base this time. In order to have a chance to win in 2020 we SHOULD nominate a “hothead!” Impeach before the entire house burns down.
3
I left America twelve years ago, in my mid-fifties, partly because I no longer wished to put up with the pervasive condescension of the very type who put Trump in power. I was proud to see Barack Obama elected president, but even then that event seemed like the last spark thrown from a dying bonfire. The writing was on the wall, and all has come to pass as anyone who had been paying attention could have predicted. But I was wrong to think I could inoculate myself from the consequences of the ignorance and contempt I sought to escape, as I now find the life I have made for myself in this fantastic, forward city threatened by the same.
6
By leaving, you left the problem for the rest of us to clean up. May I therefore suggest respectfully that you visit the US consulate and relinquish your citizenship? We need people resisting from within, not criticizing from 14 time zones away.
1
The man is a complete and utter disgrace to both the office of the Presidency and to the country he is supposed to serve. Full stop.
21
Has anyone else recognized the Mussolini-like pose that Trump often assumes? It is like he has spent hours in front of the mirror assuming the look. He should probably spent a little more time reviewing the eventual demise of the dictator. Perhaps however he really does look at things upside down.
12
@Karn Gr
I recognized it while he was still campaigning for the nomination! To me it was spine chilling, and induced a sense of foreboding that, to our sorrow, has been borne out.
6
You prove that Liberals are totally out of touch with who Americans are. Americans are not Liberal ideals.
2
He’s not an aberration.
Unfortunately, he’s become the necessary progeny of Republican infidelity to creative democracy.
It is hard to look into the stroller and try to find something complimentary to say about what is growing there.
3
I am of the opinion that the more Trump makes a prime time public speech the more he's exposed to the American public and the more they get to see him as the complete fool that he is. Let him play the comedian with his comic routine that he's honed at his Trump rallies. Force him out of his comfort zone and let him give a public address where he doesn't have the adoring Republican members of Congress play jump up at every phrase.
2
@Michael Kelly. That does not work. Hillary tried that approach during the "debates" believing Americans could see Trump for the ignorant brute that he is. The reverse happened: the lowfi, low info American relished seeing themselves in him.
1
We are knee deep in it now. And watching Rod Rosenstein cave is such a dispiriting thing, along with Bill Barr wanting to investigate the investigators. A possible war with Iran concocted by media hawk John Bolton, another talking head given no-holds barred power by our wannabe imperial President. Children remain in cages, many still have not been reunited with their parents. Immigrants collectively vilified, the rights of people of color, women and LGBTQ threatened, the environment no longer having a safety net. This is what the Trump Legacy is accomplishing. And we are watching and letting him do it.
342
We’ve be going down this road since January 20, 1981. I feel like a chump for believing Americans were better than this. What a slap in the face.
5
@mikeo26 There are three main threads in the Russia narrative and the use of our security assets.
1. To the extent that hard data is collected that can be used to identify, thwart, and preferably covertly identify attempts to manipulate the mechanics of our electoral process or public opinion are completely legitimate.
2. If any clear complicity of US persons in this interference is identified, legal remedies, or professional / ethical sanctions should be pursued.
3. What is unknown (and what some clearly do not wish to examine) is whether or not this process veered off the rails to become just another arm of the "Resist" movement. If this happened, it does not negate the valid aspects of investigative efforts, or the useful information gained. That said, there is no moral high ground to invalidate an election on false pretenses regardless of how personally detestable some might find the occupant of the Oval Office.
1
45th will be gone either in next 18 months or if he wins next 2020 election, in another 66 months. I wonder what will be written in his epitaph. He better start think about it now. if he loses next election he joins his personal lawyer Michael Cohen. We all know what does it mean. STATUTES OF LIMITATION.
2
This brings to mind a tweet this week from the Secy of Ag in the middle of the tariffs discussions, which said something like Trump supports “his farmers”. Amazing! Similar to references to “my generals”, it’s like we’re all serfs to the master.
7
He is electoral college America, even if that is not majority voter preference America. The US, after all, is NOT a democracy. Democracies do not appoint as their chief executive one who has been rejected by a majority of citizens. Democracies do not allow Senators of a state like Wyomng to have equal law blocking power with those from a state like California, which has 73 times as many citizens. Democracies believe in majority rule, with consideration for the inalienable rights of minorities
14
Seriously, if possible, you should run for whatever seat in your area is up for re-election, Dem. or Ind. The country needs serious enthusiastic candidates to grab voters’ attention at every level in government. The 2018 midterms started a groundswell of new ideas, casting aside the same ole, same ole. Maybe, someday you can help bring down the passé electoral college. Without that unfair advantage, we can truly become the democracy that is supposed to be our destiny. The EC was added on much later to appease the south around civil war time. When it’s gone, the candidates who win the elections won’t keep losing when they’ve already won. Go for it.
1
Now I know how people in war torn countries feel. How people who watched Hitler's shadow grow and who watched people change before their eyes.
I have friends who voted for trump. One of whom mentioned nuclear holocaust - not out of fear but out of it not being that big of a deal. I can't speak to them now.
509
Absolutely right.
I called him unfit after the second “rally” I heard back in 2016. Sickeningly similar to one of his idols- Adolf Hitler.
80
@Michelle Teas I think that's what has to happen, that we turn our backs on former friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and family members who have gone over to the dark side of the Trump cult.
Maybe, just maybe, it will prompt some of them to search their souls and consider how extreme their points of view have become.
21
You’ve eloquently written what I have been feeling for too long. Thank you.
8
Hate to inform you otherwise, but Trump's presidency is no aberration. Forty years of conservative suspicion and disdain of government finds it's culmination in the negation of it with Trump. Whether it represents an invitation to authoritarianism is debatable, but in electing Trump Americans produced a president ignorant, if not antipathetic, toward the rule of law.
Trump isn't the antithesis of what America represents, but what America has become. The 2020 presidential election will be a fine time for Americans to reflect on what perpetuating the "Me decade of the 1970s" well into the 21st century has produced. Think of it as an opportunity to prove again that America is the land of the brave and the free.
4
Actually, Trump is America.
7
Fingers crossed that we get to the election without some sort of Gulf of Tonkin incident, in the Persian Gulf or elsewhere, manufactured by Trump and his fact-free minions in the Executive Branch and swallowed whole by the Senate Republicans. Why have control of the world's largest military and not at some point call it into play? Trump wouldn't be an outlier here: Bush and Cheney, mainstream Republicans, come to mind, for treating our armed forces as a private militia.
3
"Trump is right to regard himself as an essentially American character who parlayed confidence, showmanship and a daredevil’s approach to ethics into boundless fame and considerable riches." You're wrong about this Frank. As the NYT articles of recent months made clear Trump's riches came from his dad's money which was passed down to him in criminal violation of the estate tax laws. Not his confidence, showmanship and daredevil approach which led to bankruptcies and billion dollar losses. And God knows what it will do to this country.
3
Trump is the residue of the voting population of this country. You may say that 60% did not vote for him but the party in power used the levers of power to bring him to power and if the Democrats had been paying attention to those levers, we might not be where we are today. Eliminate the Electoral College, congressional district gerrymandering and voter suppression laws. Enact terms limits on Supreme Court justice appointments. Hard to do but don't complain or wonder how we got here.
6
So Trump will turn Fourth of July into yet another way to divide the country. His supporters will revel in the Trump branded Independence Day, while the rest of us, still the majority of the country (but I wonder how long we will remain a majority if Trump wins in 2020 - even with a minority of the vote but with Putin’s assistance) will recoil in horror. Fox News/Breitbart/right-wing media will insist that “real” Americans love Trump Day and that only traitors can object to such a patriotic - actually strike that - such a nationalistic day.
A day to celebrate our Independence, a day of national celebration and unity will become one more us vs. them issue thanks to Trump.
5
He also thinks the investigation into his behavior with Russia during the campaign, and basically any oversight of him, is treason, so his attempt to hijack the 4th of July and make it a celebration of him, like his rallies, and not about the country's independent, is not the first evidence that Trump believes he is America. The wall was really the first. I felt from the start that that obsession of his was about having the country itself surrounded by some kind of edifice with his name on it so that psychologically, people would see America as being the land of Trump. And what did he have done with the parts of the existing wall that were repaired? He had plaques made with his name on them to be put up. the man is so sick and his ego so out of control. But how it is that so many even with stature like William Barr and Steven Mnuchin and the GOP come to be such groveling sycophants, even taking down our democracy in the process, to serve such a twisted human being as Donald Trump is a mystery to me.
3
Frank, don't be afraid to devote ink to this sociopath. Don't worry about Trump overload. People with the power to inform, influence and institute change MUST continue to speak out. Patriotic congress men and women must resist. Patriotic companies and organisations must stand up and resist. Every time this fool does or says anything, he must be resisted. Resistance is exhausting- but there is no alternative.
7
I have this theory that once any leader, value, or idea is embraced by some critical mass of a population—much less than 50%, probably more like 20% to 30%—it has to be considered representative of that population's character. It may not represent all of the population's character—we are large, we contain multitudes—but it is an essential part of that character. Unfortunately Trump and Trumpism is enthusiastically embraced by about 30% to 40% of America. So yes, Trump and Trumpism must be seen as representative of what America really is and what Americans truly value. There's no escaping it. This is who we are.
7
@617to416. And if so, we deserve to lose our democratic form of government and fall under a psychopathic tyrant. If we don't support our way of life, it will be gone, and we will have deserved to lose it. And of course, the ones yelling the loudest when their SS and Medicare and Medicaid go will be the ones who supported Trump.
1
Trump's entire appeal to the benighted is summed up in the Stephen Colbert parody "I am America (And So Can You!)"
No, Trump is not America, or New York City, or Washington.
But he is the Republican Party.
I will never vote for a Republican again.
8
Our "tax dollars at work"?
Hardly and that is very frustrating.
Why should taxpayers involuntarily fund diversionary chaos in our government that only serves to stroke the President's need for constant attention, good, bad or indifferent. America should be the center of attention, not the President, but many seem to have forgotten that. Much of the press seems to have forgotten that too, shining way too much light on a circus rather than substance. That element of the press is playing into the President's crappy hand.
The King himself is obstructing justice, or certainly giving the perception that he is obstructing justice, by thumbing his nose at a supposedly co-equal branch of government, Congress.
All of us,including the King, would be far better off if all the facts all come out soon and we get on with the business of KEEPING AMERICA GREAT.
The King and Republicans seem to forget a very basic rule of politics-what goes around comes around. Do they want to be in the receiving end of such treatment when there is a Democratic President? I can just hear the impassioned screams arising out of a very short, self serving, memory.
Lets have all the facts on the level playing field envisioned by our founders and move on, truly putting our tax dollars to work.
2
@red or green
Our tax dollars at golf.
Trump's main focus is on how he comes across on TV. He wants a video clip of himself making comments on national TV every day, or at least an enlarged picture of his tweets. If he can insert himself into a national event he's guaranteed even more TV coverage. By dominating political TV coverage, he distracts from the serious charges against him, and boosts the spirits of his supporters. As the presidential campaigns heat up, we can expect to see even more of him on his favorite medium.
4
He wouldn't shake the hand our our German ally. But he freely and warmly shakes the hand of another dictator type. America is so screwed for the decade trying to undo the damage with our main allies because of this president.
9
I have news for you: as long as we cannot get rid of him given his obvious incompetence, criminal behavior and fascistic governance constitutionally, Trump is America.
The rest is punditry, gimmicks and wishful thinking.
Unfortunately.
7
I’m beginning to understand you are right. Tried not to believe it for a long time. Dialogue and fresh approaches required.
4
Maybe the presidency is a mere stepping stone for sky scrapers to be built in some capacity in Russia, China, and North Korea over the next 10 years. That company may grow in negotiating complexity for new deals never seen before in a tightly held American corporation. He'll actually become an example to emulate in American history books as a businessman that was a success story and to be followed by grade school students looking for a role model. In that regard, the focus will be always on Trump and not so much on where he led the country. Where is this country today?
'Donald Trump Is Not America', but he is getting more press coverage than our Country. Perhaps even more than 'God', irreverent as this may sound. True, this voter took a moment to take care of some weeding in the garden, while waiting for the return of a friend from High Organ Mountains.
Trump has become part of our heritage; how a man can succeed when a million was a million, and lawn mow more than half The People into believing that he is the greatest President on Earth. The stuff of mythological legends, where the Minotaur in his Maze leaves some of us feeling hollow, and somewhat culpable for this state of affairs.
True, it appears that he had some help from foreign dictators, far brighter than our ruler, and reducing Iago to a shy violet in the annals of literary history.
Let Trump have his parade and Knickerbocker Glory; and do not weep if far away you hear the music of 'Donny Boy', where the pipes, the pipes, are calling our Nation to come to the fore of Democracy, for We are feeling slighted by Thee.
Actually, Frank, Donald Trump is 40% of America and that's exactly the problem.
4
The Independence Day, with Donald Trump as the focus, that we SHOULD celebrate is the day that we are finally free of his tyranny.
3
But he IS America to enough Americans, and that is the simple, poignant point.
1
There's a reason behind not uttering the word "Voldemort."
Sadly, the 'Fake News' media has not had that epiphany, and likely won't come the Fourth.
1
Along this line, Trump is also threatening to start a war with Iran. Another bit of self-aggrandizement. Many people will die but TS, as long as Trump gets, or thinks he gets, a boost in the popular pols.
2
Trump is America, at least outside of California. If you discount every vote cast in California in 2016, and just count the votes cast in the other 49 states and the District of Columbia, Trump won the popular vote.
3
If you discount those who voted against him, it was unanimous.
3
Only the most partisan are blind to the facts that Trump and coterie of supporters are doing everything they can to turn America to a kleptocratic ‘banana republic. The voters are getting exactly what they deserve by electing or not voting. This nation is in crisis and our legislators seem to avoid considering hold the Trump regime accountable. Our Democracy is being threatened by Trump and his Russian supporters. Americans must demand that our Legislative and Judicial branches do thei jobs and move now to defend our polity FULLSTOP
1
Donald Trump isnt America... but he is Her President.
Same can easily be said of every President ever.
3
Frank, I appreciate that you are trying to limit the space you give to Trump's daily spectacle, for there's far too much attention given over to the circus that his presidency.
Where our critical focus every day ought to be on those in his train who are systematically undermining our government as it was designed to operate. You might well start with WH senior advisor Stephen Miller, a singular source of domestic over-reach. A similar role is that of John Bolton, war hawk extraordinaire.
Before turning to the federal departments Trump is undermining like DOJ, please attend to a few of the critical voices in the Congress. On one the plus side of the ledger there's Senator Burr of NC who might be publicly thanked for his recent move of independence with the subpoena to Don Jr.
On the negative side, the Senate as a body has to be see as abdicating its role for oversight altogether and guilty of excessive partisanship, especially in trying to stack the judiciary in Trump's favor for the longest term. Without the Senate at his back, Trump would quickly have his wings clipped.
Now, over to the CIA, State and Defense: is anyone there independent enough to stand up to Bolton's march to the sea (as in Persian Gulf)? If there is, let's seek them out.
As I see matters at this moment, without the committees of the House and print media, the levers of power would (may yet) be in the hands of the Wizard's Apprentice, bedazzling the multitude and bamboozling those who know better.
1
Sadly, he is. He is a product of America, of all the political and social processes in the last 40 years that culiminated in an electorate who voted for him, the electoral system that factors such electorate, campaign laws that allow such campaigns and most importantly, the social system that accepts Mr.Trump’s form of governance, largely enabled by the people who are supposed to be the reflection of America in the Congress. So, yes, he very much is America and the sooner we accept that truth, to sooner we can do (or not) something about it....
2
Hi Frank - nice piece.
I just wish there were something that could be done other than to express moral outrage.
People like Trump (and the GOP) just shrug that off, and is it becoming increasingly clear that many of the things we took for granted as being legally enforceable....aren't.
4
We will learn and grow from this period in American history. I am hopeful we will identify (and rectify) the leaks in our system Trump is exploiting, so we can make sure when someone with more energy, intelligence and cunning comes along they won't be able to blow up our democracy. In the end, Donald Trump could be performing a very important service to America, i.e. making sure our democracy is seaworthy for the future journey.
2
Oh yes he is VERY much America! Wake up!
2
The Donald epitomizes the dreadful “American Dream” which is a never-ending nightmare for most of us.
2
It isn't just a massive military parade that Trump wants, Frank. He wants to be in the lead vehicle waving to the masses as he passes by. Think of sandals and toga movies when the triumphant general rides into the city in the lead chariot to the cheering and adoring crowds.
It isn't a vehicle for thanking the military. It is a a display that further validates his sense of self-importance.
5
Anyone who has ever had to interact with a malignant narcissist, in any capacity, will recognize that trump is one. The world is expected to revolve around him and his needs and wants. The only way to ameliorate these expectations is to confront, dismiss, and rebel against the demands that invariably come. Unfortunately, not one Republican in Congress seems willing or able to do so. Our only hope is the presidential election in fewer than 18 months. If trump is somehow re-installed, all hope for this country will have disappeared.
9
Millions of people want this despicable man and his cronies in office.
It really isn't about him ... it's about us.
Don't write about Trump. Write about us. Tell the truth.
10
@Dale M. The truth is that 30-40% of Americans want to be exactly like Trump. Greedy, oblivious to obeying the law, and getting away with both. We may lose our democracy because we deserve to, because if not enough of us support it and work for it, it will be gone very, very soon.
No, Trump reflects what America has become. It is not a country respected but rather feared.
Trump reflects a social and political culture that has been hollowed out. The form remains but the substance is gone.
10
Donald Trump is New York personified - a loud, abrasive know-it-all. Being wealthy exacerbates it, but it's not a prereqisite. Millions of bigmouths live, and write, there.
5
@Teller I know a number of New Yorkers who are nothing like trump. And all of them are embarrassed by and feel repelled by him. Same as the rest of the rational world.
3
Actually, he is. And I think that is terribly unfortunate, but I think denying it is a mistake.
5
It will be interesting to see the Park Service's crowd size estimates for the 4th of July 2019.
6
Old Bone Spurs never would have fought in the Revolution. He would have been too busy evicting those who were behind in their rent because they were away fighting. Then he'd try to steal George Washington's glory.
11
Sorry Frank, Trump and his followers are as American as apple pie. They have existed since the founding of our country and their influence has ebbed and flowed depending on how much fear, loathing, scapegoating can be dredged up by those whose only interest is maintaining power. It would be nice if the current mindset of the Trumpists were an aberration but millions of people during the last 200 or so years have proved that hypothesis to be incorrect.
14
No, Trump IS America. The Country did this, is doing it to itself, is allowing it..
9
Trump is more like Argentina, circa 1944.
3
@Jbugko The entire Republican party is more like 1944 than 2019.
2
Perhaps our Military Officers will remember their Oaths of Office, especially the part about "Defending this Nation and the Constitution against all Tyrants, Foreign AND DOMESTIC" (emphasis added for effect).
We have Constitution Breaking Politicians hurting our Nation from the Senate, where McConnell has Obstructed Justice since Obama was Sworn in as President, he has unconstitutionally stacked the courts and cabinet with incompetent and felons and has allowed the present President to run roughshod over the basic tenants of proper governing since Mr Trump is stupid enough to listen to Pence and his Deep State choices for Every Office.
He has made the USA a much less safe place to live or work, and more expensive due to his ignorance. He is trying to destroy the Democrats, calling them fake and Deep State despite the opposite truth
If Trump really wants to destroy the Deep State, he is doing so by killing the Republican Party, which with the backing of Fox News and Limbaugh have become tied up in believing their own, well-known lies as real, and now they are having to fight against the worst Fake Every in our History.
The Republicans have brought this tragic destruction upon us, and while a few may have a couple extra bucks at the moment, is it really worth the trillions on the credit card for you to have $20 now? The billionaires got a 20 MILLION tax cut, each, compared to your $20.
And No, they are NOT going to give it to you, that was the whole reason for the tax cut.
9
It finally dawns on me who The Donald models himself after...Zaphod Beeblebrox, the Galactic President in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. His real purpose is to distract from the real center of power. Yet another case of Life imitating Douglas Adams.
5
@Alex. Yes, the resemblance is amazing.
Trump is not all of America, but he is certainly reflective of a disturbingly large part of it. Sixty million or so. They think he's wonderful. They practically worship him. They not only forgive his most disgusting actions, they often praise them.
In short, we are in real trouble, and that trouble extends far beyond the disgrace of a person who now occupies the oval office.
15
You are correct, Mr. Brunni, trump is not America. Within the week polls revealed that about 42 percent of America approved of his presidential performance. So maybe he is 42 percent of America?
8
Agreed, but none of this would be possible without the compliance of an uninformed, misinformed or ill-informed public. It's ugly alright, but ugly is in the eye of the beholder and he has too many cult-like followers who are beholden to his vision to see, clearly, the damage he is doing to the republic. Nothing upsets me more about this slow moving coup than the brain dead followers who peddled their hypocritical love of country, the constitution and some mythical ethical standard that, when push came to shove, shoved it all under the bus for this mango Mussolini. If he hasn't been able to insult their intelligence after two years of treating them like fools, then they insult mine.
670
@Rick Gage, That's funny, that's what we say about Democrats.
4
@Ryan
It is demonstrably true that a) Liberals (who tend to be Democrats) are better educated; b) FoxNews viewers are more misinformed; c) The vast majority of scientists (and science enthusiasts - ya, know, secular folks that recognize climate change is due to human activity)...from all academic disciplines, trend strongly towards being 'liberal'.
There are clearly uninformed people at all points along the political spectrum. However, you can say all you want about who tends to be more or less 'informed', but the facts aren't on your side. But facts don't seem to be an issue in today's GOP.
113
@Rick Gage
"...mango Mussolini."
It doesn't rhyme with 'orange,' but still hilarious. Thanks for the image.
46
Actually, Mr. Bruni, Trump is about 35-40% of America, as voting and polls have shown. The liberal press likes believe that if Trump disappeared tomorrow all of his supporters would magically begin to turn into racially tolerant, socially open-minded, immigrant-sensitive Keynesian internationalists. They won’t.
Trump is not some kind of luddite unicorn. He opened a window to the true feelings and beliefs of a large swath of the country. If he loses in 2020, we’ll all still have to deal with his supporters. Absent succession from the union (again!), they aren’t going anywhere. That’s the problem.
623
@Jack Sonville
While true, it certainly does not help to have someone like Trump encouraging and feeding the hate and fear.
94
@Jack Sonville
Trump is 35-40% of America if you're only looking at his recent POLL numbers.
If you look at the vote totals versus Clinton from 2016, Trump is approximately 50% of American.
And that's the REALLY scary thing.
31
@bijom
Sorry. I meant to say that, based on 2016 vote total vs. Clinton, Trump is NEARLY 50% of America (48.8%, to be more precise)
23
Thank you. Yes, it is ugly. And alarming and destroying our country and it's institutions and government.
Right now we have a Trump advisor itching for America to enter into a war with Iran. In such a time, we used to be able to look to our elected officials in Congress and the President to check this rogue security adviser and consider the facts. Not any more. And our President rejects information briefings as being to cumbersome and un-necessary.
Our democracy is now broken. I see no reason to celebrate that with the man who broke it for ego and greed.
417
@Elizabeth Our Democracy is not broken, the big experiment is still working we are just experiencing a bump in the road.
6
@Bob
Nice fantasy there. Trump is the culmination of Republican strategizing since, at least, Ronald Reagan took office.
Clearly you do not understand the serious nature of a President who is openly, and without shame, encouraging his people to break the law and defy subpoenas. The immunity he creates for himself by appointing a completely controllable toady as Attorney General. The danger of a compliant and complicit Senate that refuses to defend the country. The very little we can do to stop him as Republicans continue to dismantle the electoral process with “outside” help.
This is no mere bump in the road, Bob. This is the sea change that takes down democracy.
124
@Bob
Bob, I hope you're right--and that the bump doesn't take out our national undercarriage, or turn out to be an IED.
With roughly a third of the country cheering for Drumpf, even as his "policies" hurt them, and the rest of us, it's not easy to keep an optimistic view.
34
It's bad enough that Donald Trump wants to turn himself into the centerpiece of the nation's annual day of celebration -- but what bothers me the most is the fact that I no longer recognize this country.
It has changed a lot in the two plus years that he's been in office.
And not necessarily for the better.
Aside from all the incidents involving his presidential campaign and questionable business ventures, the countless rallies, the snide attacks on what few allies we have left, and an appalling affinity for idolizing strongmen and dictators, lies the fact that Trump's America isn't for ALL Americans -- and those of us who live in cities inhabited by the "coastal elite", or who just don't blindly subscribe to everything he says have been made to feel less than "patriotic" and worthy of our birthright.
In the meantime.
More taxes. More tariffs. And the threat of never living again in the 'Land of the free'.
That's nothing to celebrate.
477
@N. Smith I don’t feel “less patriotic” by Trump. I feel more patriotic than I’ve ever felt in my life, by publicly resisting. And I do it all the time. It may not change anything, but I cannot sit back and ignore what is happening.
I know I’ve ticked off plenty of my relatives who tack to the right. Too bad, we have a Democracy to save. I may be 79 and battling cancer, but that isn’t stopping me.
197
@wolf201
Good for you, and keep up the good fight.
And please don't misunderstand my point about Donald Trump trying to make many of us feel "less patriotic -- because we're all in the same struggle to make (and keep) America as a place ALL of its citizens, especially those who don't necessarily tow the line for this president.
And goodness knows, most of us here in New York City already knew what the deal was, and would be with Trump, that's why we tried to warn the country.
Now America knows.
Hope it's not too late.
Our Democracy is at stake.
Don't stop. Rock on!!!
53
@N. Smith
You have the instincts of a sentient patriot. Flaunt it! It should cheer you that the change you notice merely corresponds to Trump's "leadership" in office. When he's gone, the evils he promotes will subside. We need true patriots to stand firm in these times.
I live in pretty rabid Trump country. Discussing Primary Election Day turnout last year, I let slip that I was only the 14th Democrat to vote, and everyone who formerly liked me, turned to look at me with appalled expressions and edged away. No kidding. I'm not backing down and I'm not staying silent, and I am upholding sense and decency. I will at least encourage people to compare the news from contrasting media sources, to think for themselves, and not be fed pap by whoever controls Fox News.
I let Bush II and Cheney make me feel unpatriotic because I didn't fawningly support their war with Iraq, which they equated with supporting our armed services and being American. Never again. Stand firm and defend your birthright and the land of the free. Our day will come.
83
Countless Americans have died protecting Democracy. American Democracy means equal opportunity for all regardless of race, sex, national orientation, or sexual orientation. It means freedom of religion, whether that religion be Muslim, Hindu or atheism. It means equal voting rights regardless of race or political persuasion. And, above all, it means the right and opportunity to protest racist, dictatorial and unjust government practices. Those are the rights that should be highlighted, applauded and emphasized on July 4th.
6
Some rightfully say Trump represents so much of what America is today. But that will not change until the American people decide that he is NOT the America they want. It's in your hands, nobody else's.
2
While it's painful to think about President Trump starring in his own show, "Trump's Fourth of July", it's also painful to have to say that his election, to me, represents the culmination of many things having gone wrong in America for quite some time. We could start with Ronald Reagan announcing that government was the problem. Once government had been "softened up" (i.e., well de-regulated), it's been pretty downhill from there. We have a giant military budget, the Citizens United ruling, thousands with no homes, vast income inequality, a tattered safety net. We bailed out Wall Street, not Main Street. Trump is just continuing a very negative trend, it seems to me.
9
If the nation is fortunate enough to remain a democracy through the end of this aberration of an administration, we now see that many actions need be taken to prevent a repetition.
The Founding Fathers did not foresee an electorate so easily led astray aided abetted by 24/7 disingenuous and dishonest news coverage posing as legitimate and factual news.
They also failed to conceive that a President: would place self before all else, attempt the de-legitimization of our own government, thwart legitimate legal constraints, emplace representatives to thwart the objectives of the very governmental bodies they head, embrace autocrats, distance allies, and cast aside core American values.
The Founding Fathers never foresaw a political party as bereft of their values as today's Republican Party. Republicans have, in their obsequious quest for power, nullified the oversight required by the Constitution and endangered democracy itself.
Let's hope we have the chance to rectify this travesty in 2020.
29
Donald Trump may not be America, but he is a duly elected American president, elected by Americans. So, in that respect, he does represent what America stands for today.
That makes him a true reflection of the real, living, breathing America of today.
Trump may not be an embodiment of an idealized America of our text books, but he does represent and reflect the America that elected him to the highest office in the land. The office that is the face and soul and spirit of America to the world.
To that extent Donald Trump is America, an embodiment of the true, living American values to this age.
Let' not deny the reality of live staring at our face.
10
@S. Zafar Iqbal - reminder... trump was NOT "duly elected - he stole the election courtesy of Russian aid and a ridiculously flawed electoral college. He never was, is not now and never will be the president.
7
@S. Zafar Iqbal
NO. Get it straight. Donald Trump is the product of an antiquated Electoral College, Russian interference, Republican gerrymandering, Voter suppression, Citizens United, FOX news, white nationalists. and a "poorly educated" electorate -- whom Trump repeatedly professed to "love".
7
@S. Zafar Iqbal
The reality staring us in our face is that Hilary won the popular vote fair and square.
7
People from the Center to the Left cannot ignore the 60,000,000 Americans, representing all strata of economic and educational achievement, voted for a white supremacist. Bruni is ignoring that fact, which will be the downfall of the Dems. These 60,000,000 CANNOT be talked out of their racism and xenophobia. Their white fear must be acknowledged and then politically neutralized by the uniting of all those peoples - 100 million - that the trump people fear. Bruni's philosophical stance that trump does represent America is NOT acknowledging the impact of the haters, and that will be a failing strategy.
13
@GariRae
Totally correct posting. Also his approval rate is 40% overall and 90% amongst republicans.
TRUMP IS AMERICA and that is the reality of the projection to the rest of the world. SAD!
7
@GariRae
If, after all that we have seen and learned in the past two years, Trump is re-elected then I think we will have arrived at a place where the majority of Americans will be ashamed enough that they will look at emigration. I know I would.
3
Thank you for a new way of thinking about the trump rump in WDC. A throw pillow slogan for a throw pillow president. A pillow that we as a nation will collectively throw away soon.
His meaningless wants are noise of the day for this buffoon in charge. The political party that adheres to helping this pillow pass legislation dis a traitorous crowd. With right arms raised and swearing to god each and every one of them walks away from their OATH of office. A portion of people here will always be unhappy about their lot in life. tRump is just the manifestation of humanity throwing in the towel or throw pillow, as this column calls the fool in the oval office.
7
The Senate voted, 49-46 along party lines, to approve Michael Truncale a federal judge in Texas.
The choice of Truncale was controversial. In 2011, coinciding with Donald Trump’s “birtherism” smear of a sitting president, then-lawyer Truncale referred to Mr. Obama as “un-American” because Truncale was “frustrated” that the Commander-in-Chief wasn’t more “overtly patriotic.”
A president leads America by dint of his likability or his charisma or his perceived morality and goodness or the people’s inherent trust in him (maybe some day her?) to be a good president. Americans should be very wary of a jingoistic president who turns about this way and that, is inconstant and feverishly troubling about matters personal and patriotic.
Donald Trump’s neither patriotic nor brave. To his rabid zealotry, otherwise known as MAGA nation, I would ask, “May we see the proofs of his love of country?” It certainly was not in evidence during the Vietnam era (1964-1975) when he asked out of hors de combat with a minor foot ailment. It certainly is not in evidence as he, like a toddler soon bored with his latest amusement, scatters all about in red-faced, breath-holding defiance of the universe to order itself to his pouting whim. He bows, in most un-presidential servility, before the knees of the likes of Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban. He admires the thuggism of Rodrigo Duterte.
An American president should, above all, be seen as the soul of dignity and wisdom
Trump is neither, by far.
20
There is no such word as normalcy. It is normality.
3
@Allen
Said the man with no dictionary available for reference.
3
A photo of the beautiful American flag, highlighted against a bright sky on the evening of July 4th is quite enough to provide Americans with the knowledge of what this country stands for. We certainly do not need to see President Trump wrapped in the Flag.
4
Trump is the most motivated person in the world. He has his ego to protect. He knows that he can beat down any one and any thing. He sleeps little because he knows that most people do sleep eight hours a night. His nicknames for Democrat candidates are like stakes in the heart. He knows the art of painting a picture about a person. After Trump attacked Beto's flailing arms, I now cringe when I see Beto bouncing and wildly waving his arms. I now can't imagine Beto sitting behind the desk in The Oval Office.
2
@Ron I cringe when I see Trump's strange hand gestures, particularly the little "O" he makes with his fingers. I cringe when I see him sitting , with rounded shoulders, blank or defiant expression, hands hanging simian-lke between his splayed legs. I cringe when he opens his mouth, and when he walks with his stiff legged gait. I cringe at his forced witticisms.. I cringe when he uses ignorant, inflammatory rhetoric. I am embarrassed for America's gullibility.
3
I can’t say, how ugly it is. I know it floods us all with shame.
20
L’Etat c’est moi. In Trump’s mind, he is, indeed, the country. Or, at least, all that matters in the country. He and his Romanov family. But if push came to shove, he’d (he’ll) shed the family. And the notion that in return for lifting up the country he expects us to lift him up is ludicrous. All he does is divide the country. Talks about the country as if all but his cult are a bunch of “losers” who have been taken by everyone and everything. Never mind that the federal taxes paid by those “losers” flow largely to the states in which the cult reside. The only thing that will end this self-love fest is if the media deprive him of his oxygen – the attention he gets for every unhinged tweet, every incoherent utterance, every terrorizing threat. Don’t cover the “parade”. Don’t give him the opportunity to puff out his chest and show us what a big important man he is. The parade is just a means to convince himself that he’s not literally and figuratively the tiny, tiny man he actually is. The narcissistic, paranoid fake tough guy that he is. As to parlaying his confidence, showmanship, etc. into considerable riches, you must be confusing him with someone else. He parlayed the considerable riches and opportunities handed to him by daddy into an ever increasing string of losses. He doesn’t represent the country, our values or us. He needs to exit, stage left.
24
If you consistently want the President to reflect the nature of the majority of Americans, you will need to get rid of the electoral college system.
THAT should be issues #1 for all Americans who care.
33
Dear Frank, I LOVE the title of your newsletter and it makes me so very sad.
7
Good column - thank you. In addition to Supreme Narcissism one must add this Oval Office occupants clear affliction with the Dunning-Kruger Effect. He is a clear genetic anomaly. A clear and present danger to our country and our nations reputation. Vote in 2020. Take back our country. Dump Trump, Ditch Mitch, unseat Lyndsey Graham. No apathy, register, contribute, do your homework -- VOTE!
25
"'I alone can fix it,' he said during his speech at the Republican National Convention in 2016, and that was no aberration. More like a motto, perhaps stitched onto a throw pillow that he uses for lumbar support while slumping at the Resolute Desk."
Thank you, Frank. That provided me a wonderful laugh this morning.
12
Is there a more insulting way for America to die, than by the hands of Donald Trump and his followers? The ideals that this country has aspired to and stood for; freedom, democracy, equality, opportunity, optimism, justice and fairness - blackjacked by a petty, privileged, power mad solipsist and stomped on his hateful mob of greedy, racist and blindly ignorant sycophants. But they are America too - a particular brand of american scoundrel and a mindset born and raised in lies. Trump’s just a dumbed down robber baron, a wanna-be Hearst or P. T. Barnum and his type of lemmings have been following demagogues off cliffs since the first tent revivals. And so we are devoured by our devils.
The United States may have never measured up to its ideals but now I fear the dream is truly dying. Eaten from the inside out by our own cancerous corruption. When I think of our “inalienable” rights under attack from within; free press, free speech, fair elections - the betrayal of our allies and the embrace of autocrats, the rise of hatred, bigotry, distrust and division - I wonder if it might have been a more honorable demise to have lost the Cold War, and when I walk around and see the “Plattenbau” rising in my city and the results of Russia manipulating our vote, I wonder if maybe we did.
22
@gwr My sentiments exactly. If djt and his cult continue to reign supreme, then a justifiable case could be made that the Russian propaganda machine were the victors of the cold war.
How cute...Trump isn't America...I think 63,000,000 voters and 304 electoral votes would beg to differ...
I firmly believe Trump ran for publicity's sake and had no desire to actually win, that he has been horribly divisive, and that he needs to go. But to say he isn't America is ignoring reality.
This is a huge country. It's more accurate to say that California and New England are not America.
4
@Matt He lost by some 3 million popular votes.
11
@Matt California and New England are as much a part of the United States as anywhere else. You don't get to decide which parts are more inherently American than others, because they are all American.
12
@Matt
More people DID NOT vote for Trump than did vote for him.
Clinton received 3,000,000 more votes than Trump.
Gary Johnson (Libertarian) got nearly 4,000,000 votes.
That's 7,000,000 Americans who DID NOT vote for Trump.
And that doesn't count the eligible voters who did not vote at all.
Does this there are three Americas?
5
We are 845 days into the Trump Presidency and I still catch myself mentally surfacing in a state of awe and disgust over the fact that he is the president. Like Medusa's head suddenly appearing from around the corner for all to see, his emergence as the Chief Executive and his grandiose narcissistic display is indeed ugly and terrifying to behold. His nauseating ubiquity has virtually ruined media for me. Even the global fantasy phenomenon Game of Thrones seems like a metaphor for his hideous vanity. If all the old gods and new are with us there are only 616 days left until his vulgar spectacle closes for good.
22
That’s the biggest mistake of 2016: Yes, he is what too many are. We pretend better than we are. What too many assumed were fringe and freaks, are too many of us.
9
@Terry
This should be the top comment. As Walt Kelley said best, "We have met the enemy and he is us"
3
Unfortunately, the cult of trump is ~44% of this country
when you look at approval ratings.
That is big enough to conclude that the title of the op-ed is incorrect. It should read "A large part of America is trump's America".
Whether we like or not, we're part of a society that has a large part of it perfectly fine with morphing the country through all sorts of vile chicanery into a racialist/nativist based autocracy with fake democracy trappings. Orban's Hungary is a good model of how that's done. F-x is a good
example of what orban has done to use media to control
discourse and disinform minds.
To finish the job, a large enough turnout in Nov. '20 is needed from that ~44% plus whatever else can be added to
in the meantime. There are plenty of ongoing efforts to secure that needed bump.
The assault of tendentious, manipulative idiocy never ever stops since you never know when the next over the top garbage filled rant will find some open, emptied out brain to take root in. That other part, small but vital, is, alas, also a not insignificant part of the country.
The only way to neutralize this deadly toxin is evident. Organize, organize, organize to register voters and make sure they turn out. Indifference is not an option.
10
Trump will never understand grace or humility. Nor will he understand integrity, dignity, fairness, justice, or humanity.
He is the absolute center of the universe. Always has been and he always will be, in his warped mind.
He is overwhelming, exhausting, and numbing the populace to his outrages and corruption. He is utterly relentless in pursuing his personal agenda and will not stop.
He is incapable of committing any wrong, or making any mistake, again, in his distorted mind. Introspection and compassion? Just useless words to him.
He has twisted the minds of those around him from his children right up to the cabinet, and almost every elected GOP official. None of these people seem capable of seeing the forest for the trees, or they are simply willing to sacrifice all values for the power he gives them.
The fatigue of this insecure, ceaseless self aggrandizer is growing and reaching a critical level.
I am grateful for George Conway, Chairman Burr, James Comey, and Robert Mueller, and the entire Democratic Party. I continue to hope, and faintly believe that the truth will come out, but it is going to be an excruciating process.
29
Trump is not America.
But his election was not an unforeseeable natural disaster. He was not sent by some vengeful, democracy hating, God.
Trump was a choice made by 63 million Americans. He has consistent approval ratings of 40+%.
Trump will eventually leave office. And it is likely the next GOP President will regress a bit towards the mean: Less ignorant, less openly racist. More emotionally stable. Probably not a career white collar criminal, or at least an obvious one.
In other words: a more subtle form of execrable. Why? To paraphrase a quote from Thomas Edsall's column:
The House, Senate and therefore the Electoral College all overrepresent predominantly white rural areas (Trump country) giving the Republican Party/Trumpists a very high electoral floor that will make its consignment to the political wilderness unlikely.
Trump may not be America, but he represents the views, resentments, hatreds, purposeful ignorance, and pro authoritarian leanings of a very large minority of Americans. They are not going away. And dealing with that reality will consume our politics for years.
18
@LT
A "very large minority" is till not a MAJORITY of Americans who stand with Donald Trump.
And we can only thank whatever God -- or Gods there may be for that.
4
Figures the media would be having conniptions when Trump does something different to celebrate the country on July 4th.
Sure, his plans could be about him but it could just as easily be about making the President more of a participant in the rituals of this country.
1
This is the moment of reckoning for a nation that has not dealt with its' neo-colonial roots of racism and a legacy of genocide and slavery. This autocrat with the help of Russia's new totalitarian government has thoroughly exploited those toxins of history. Sadly, the materialism of an economy rigged with a record national debt and disregard for the environment seduces many to think they are making America great again. Our constitutional democracy died the day this man entered office. The question is - will there be a resurrection? - despite the nihilism championed by fundamentalists cheering on their demagogue. If there will be - it will be from streets beyond our own - a spirit rising that wants life on this planet to continue - who champion truth over lying, social justice over corruption and inequality, and life over death.
3
I am very glad that I will be in Canada on July 4th.
13
Thanks, Frank. It is ugly. And it reveals just how much the Republicans and especially their wealthy donors are indifferent to the needs of others and how much they despise the masses.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Time to take the gloves off and fight for democracy.
11
Why do we let Donald Trump take over our psyche, our well being?
He does not speak for us, he does not respect us, he is not respected by us.
Trump will soon be off of our radar and away from us.
Forever.
11
"More like a motto, perhaps stitched onto a throw pillow that he uses for lumbar support while slumping at the Resolute Desk.”
I work with a lot of neurological dysfunction in patients older than 60...”bad backs.” I despise Trump but it was evolution and becoming bipeds that unleashed the degeneration of the lumbar spine as we aged. Trump nor any other older citizen deserves contempt for an arthritic back. Doesn’t matter his weight as sports such as golf are terribly hard on the back as one coils and uncoils one’s spine to hit the ball.
That was wrong Frank.
2
I think that Trump's idea of turning July 4th into a MAGA rally is a great idea....as long as it can also be an occasion for a "save democracy rally" that will bring crowds the size of the million man march and the women's march together to show the world that we are ready to see him removed and will not allow him and his goon squads to overrule the results of the 2020 election. Let the world see what we really think of him.
10
The only cure for malignant narcissism is by shunning. Turn off the TV have a good day outside. Any coverage you miss that day will surely be on the next.
7
@Ev
Doesn't NYC have a good fireworks show on the Fourth? I remember watching it from here on the left coast. I might tune in to the DC event only to see the acres and acres of empty Mall as people find some other place to enjoy their holiday.
2
I'm surprised that he hasn't announced a name change for the holiday: Make America Great Again Day!
(Trademark owned by Kushner and Co., LLC.)
5
Bravo, Mr. Bruni. So well said. We do indeed need to express aloud and publicly the ugliness and the disgrace of which this sorry example of a man is capable.
Thank you.
Zav Levinson
6
Mr. Bruni, Donald Trump is America. This is a democracy.
1
Wonderful commentary, Mr. Bruni. There seems to be no narcissistic conceit to which our nation’s Lying Scofflaw in Chief will not aspire. If he does manage to horn in on a traditional Fourth of July celebration, I will jump at the chance to participate in a counter-celebration/demonstration. I’m sure that here in the San Francisco Bay Area there will be many such opportunities.
KH
7
Thank you Mr. Bruni, so well said. The most important thing about trump is we/US should never normalize all of his horrible traits. From his foul mouth, vindictiveness, lack of awareness and education, to his complete breach of protocols, love of authoritarian dictators and his own exaggerated sense of self, including malignant narcissism. This is not normal behavior from anyone, let alone a president.
5
I am afraid that America is not America. Not anymore. We have been overtaken. It is over.
3
Sad to see how low he is taking this country. Assume all in attendance will not be wearing anything make in an overseas country..
2
We will probably never see another Donald Trump. Few have the ability to so completely sell themselves, shameless and victimized, fierce and ignorant, simultaneously. He's had 70 years to hone this trait but had to wait until the 24 hour news cycle needed it. Disgruntled voters saw his TV show and believed in that persona, now they can't let go. His take no prisoners style is their alter ego. Republican legislators see that unbreakable hold and want the spillage.
But a saner America exists and Republicans see major losses in the next election cycles and are therefore grabbing all they can while they can. Stuff the courts, get Roe v. Wade tossed aside, voter suppression, anything they can do, heavy handed or not, it's their last stand and all but the most obtuse know it.
It's true, the media cannot ignore the monster they created because he learned how to dominate the news cycle long before cable. It was never a fair fight. Thankfully, many are trying, thanks, Frank.
6
I hope you’re right. The people I run into day to day seem to think he’s OK and are more worried about our country becoming “socialist”. I always find this amazing as they conveniently ignore Russia’s interference. How can health care for all and free community college seem like more of threat? They refuse to see they’re being conned by a man whose very position is due to Russian interference. Again, I DO hope you are right that this narcissistic, incoherent, disgusting grifter will soon be gone.
6
Um, Frank, I believe the holiday is now called Donald Trump Day, celebrated with fireworks and much outdoor grilling of brats and hamburgers. Totally his idea. The guy's a genius, it cannot be denied.
1
It is with a heavy heart that I dispute Mr. Bruni's contention that Donald Trump is not America. The evidence is that Trump is indeed America today. He is America because, however outrageous his behavior, however repugnant his style and manner, however un-American he may seem in light of former standards and beliefs, his way is the way of the land. Our vaunted traditions, Constitutional safeguards and institutions are mere confetti before the evil wind of his implacable will to power. We have allowed this, through our loutish inattention to history and learning in general, through our selfish interest in our own betterment as opposed to the needs of our society in general, through our sit-com game-show perception of reality that blurs focus on the clear and present danger in our midst--through all this and more we have dumbed deviancy down to where we accept the rotting of America at the hands of Mr. Trump. So genuinely sorry, Mr. Bruni, but you have it wrong: he is here and we are his.
235
@Robert LaRue I'm not his. Never will be.
6
@Robert LaRue
"We have allowed this"? I take no responsibility. I am part of the resistance.
4
Yes, Robert LaRue. Trump is here. But "we are his"? With all due respect, you need to speak for yourself on that one!
2
The world would like to believe that Trump is not America Mr. Bruni, but it's clear that he increasingly is, and with a very good chance of winning in 2020, the perception will only get stronger and more defined. Trump is precisely how the world increasingly views the USA.
5
If you are really interested how Trump came to be, you only need to drive through the midwestern United States and listen to the radio. The airwaves there are filled with the demagoguery of conservative talk radio, Limbaugh, Hannity and the like. This is how Trump came to power. On the votes of people who believe the conservative radio shock jocks. There's a lengthy essay written years ago during McCarthyism by historian Richard Hofstadter entitled "The Paranoid Style in American Politics." Worth your time to read it. Then you will know how Trump came to power.
9
Unfortunately DJT does represent a large % of U.S. He didn't plant seeds of hate, resentment, and fear in people's hearts and minds. He simply nurtured, cultivated, and exploited what was already there.
38
@Basic Imagine what a real leader with a benevolent heart could do: weed, seed, and feed the country. Weed out the hatred and evil; plant seeds of loving kindness and nurturing our relationships with one another; feed our nation by developing and promoting policies that grow our country and move it in a positive direction with our neighbors. Instead, we have...him.
The voters need to make him a one-term president and elect a leader who will take our country back from evil and pull it into the sunshine of goodness, love, and prosperity.
9
@Basic
True, lots of those people were always. The best and worst are the potential for any country.
Tell me why they turned on their country. Do you have any basic insights to share with the rest of us who believe in something other than USA USA!
Basic, you're guilty of being disingenuous.
You picked the wrong adjectives to go along with a narcissistic demagogue- he inflamed and conned, not nurtured and cultivated
You know Basic that we can do better than Trump
2
@H I'd like to think what you say is true about ...doing better, however I don't see even the best con artist making someone hateful toward others, unless they are already inclined...
It's blindingly, painfully, evident that he has an emptiness within that cannot be satisfied. It's also evident that he will stop at nothing in an attempt to do so, sucking the lifeblood from those in his orbit, which, of course, now includes everyone on the planet. We can only hope that he doesn't leave America (and the world) a desiccated, morally/financially-bankrupt, shell of its former self as he has done to so many in his path so far. He is to be pitied.
185
@Jim
And voted out.
35
@Jim
I agree with everything but your last sentence:
He is to be condemned.
45
@Jim
Pitied? Perhaps. But only after he is removed from office - however it is done - and residing in a secured facility in which he can receive whatever care is deemed appropriate.
26
No, he's not America. But if House Democrats don't grow a spine and fiercely oppose him, starting with impeachment proceedings, it won't matter because he'll be ruling America, and not as a president.
37
@Tom I wholeheartedly agree! The Democrats - especially Speaker Pelosi - are absolutely terrified of impeaching President Trump. We thirst for strong leadership, Democrats who are hungry for change and itching for a bare knuckled fight with the Trump administration. We need leaders who are fighters, not wimpy wimps who want to wait until election day so the voters can do the job our elected officials refuse to do: get rid of Trump.
7
How about no media coverage? A salesman needs an audience. Providing a platform only encourages the egregious actions and behaviors. Perhaps those "fans" who blindly subscribe to his warped rhetoric and lies will attend in person, but there should be a media blackout of the event. It's well past time for the media, collectively, to stop running down every rabbit hole that is introduced by the current administration whose sole purpose is to divert attention from the facts and truth of their methodical and sinister dismantling of our democracy. Personally, I will celebrate the 4th by engaging in efforts to educate and get non-voting citizens registered, participate in grass-root door-to-door efforts in support of Democratic candidates, and work to get out the vote in 2020. Ask bleak as the present seems, we did it before and we can do it again.
29
Why not a parade of strictly real estate developers?
7
@northlander How about a parade with no attendance. Stay home. Will make it so much easier for the Trumputin crowd counters.
5
Frank, I would suggest you research the actual activities of previous years celebration on the Mall during our national holiday.
I was there one year and their were already rumblings of things to come but stil, but still. There were folk dances from all cultures and orantations from folks speaking words from Sojourner Truth and President Lincoln. There was music and activities from one end of the Mall to another. My friends and I spent the whole day there enjoying the activities and music and museums and the fireworks.
I was aware of the issues around the area and nation but for once it felt good to be an American and be in America.
I do not feel that way now. I can only hope for the sake of everyone things change, so much damage has already been done.
8
Trump's appearance on the Mall is not just self-aggrandizement, but also a way to make it "us against them." This is as close to the optics of acres of supporters as he will get; and I imagine there also will be a military presence. This is one of the most dangerous acts a man with power can do, and we have seen this kind of thing before in the 20th century. Trump means to accomplish something here--it's a lot more than brand, unless you consider that the Nuremberg Rally was just a branding exercise.
35
I'm still trying to figure out how his supporters consider themselves patriotic when they're supporting what's contrary to the ideals this nation was founded upon.
If it wasn't clear before, it should be now that Trump only attained the prominence he had through an accident of birth. He's repeatedly shown himself at the bottom when it comes to merit. Aren't we supposed to be a nation that scorns giving power to people based solely on the circumstances of their birth?
39
Much too gradually articles like this one, which point out Trump's false representation of America, are emerging. I don't know why the media are so reluctant to hammer away at these points:
In 2016, roughly 63 million voted for Trump, while roughly 73 million voted for any candidate other than Trump. Proportionally, that is 46% pro-Trump, 54% contra-Trump. Those proportions consistently reflect his job approval ratings ever since 2016. In short, he has NEVER represented America.
The one legislative accomplishment that Trump can at least claim in part is the Republican tax law. Every other initiative has been by executive order, in total disregard of Congress, the people's proxy. The absolute anti-American move was his veto of the bicameral Congressional resolution to nullify his declaration of a national state of emergency at the southern border.
Trump's arrogant disregard for the law, and his constant, in-your-face LIES, rise to a level that no American who respects the honor system that our laws are built on would even think to embrace. In other words, he does not represent American respect for our system of government and the rule of law.
It's a good guess that if there were a national referendum on everything Trump does, he would NEVER win. That too is because Trump is not America.
I marvel at the majority's peaceful tolerance of Trump's crude, reckless domination. When will their patience end? Not with a parade, I'm afraid, but when he starts a war.
51
@entity.z I agree with what you write except the part of his achievement of the tax cut. A complete giveaway of the U.S. treasury at a time not economically needed. It instead decimated the ability to pay for infrastructure and future natural disasters, bolster social security, help failing nations in countries south of us, or jump start a green business revolution without raising taxes in the future or gutting government other than the military.
13
@entity.z
Regarding our peaceful tolerance of Trump's offenses and our patience: I think we're waiting for the 2020 election. I'll see how that goes, and re-evaluate peaceful tolerance and patience. We still are a nation with a good constitution and the rule of law. We'll see how the norms hold next year.
I do wish the Democrats in the House could proceed against Trump's stonewalling with more alacrity and get down to business.
1
No matter how right you may be, Mr Bruni, Trump is at least 40% of America. At least in the eyes of citizens of other countries, who want to know why, and who fear for the future of the US and the planet.
15
Yes, there are indeed twenty-two Democrats running for the presidency, and my favorite, Senator Brown of Ohio, isn´t even one of them. And, as Mr. Bruni points out, many of them are really running for something else, in some cases anything else... However, it´s early days and at a minimum, fifteen will be gone after the South Carolina primary or, at the latest, Super Tuesday, because they will garner next to no votes, the money will dry up and with it their candidacies, so Mr. Bruni´s fear of cacophony is somewhat overdrawn.
As for the Grifter in Chief not being America, we are large and varied, and he represents an important strand of it, to which he does very great harm, such as in his tax law and his trade war. Nonetheless, his gift to our political life is measureless demagogy, and many of those harmed will vote for him while he Makes America Grate Again.
10
The 4th of July celebration in D.C. starring Donny T. will get worse ratings and and even smaller audience than his inauguration. The man is blind in so many ways.
52
@NemoToad
Agree. I won't be watching it this year.
5
I strongly urge the media and the press to ignore Trump's self-aggrandizing Independence Day spectacle. If people want to go there to see it for themselves, they are free to do so. If they want to watch the fireworks, they are free to do so. But we don't have to give him free publicity by televising his speech or any other part of the event.
106
Trump is a train wreck in motion. TV will never ignore him because they are 2 sides of the same greedy coin.
1
Yes he is America - represents a significant proportion of people: you need to deal with that reality rather than engage in the Biden like denial.
23
@Leslie
First of all. What you call a "significant" portion of the people for Trump -- is STILL not the MAJORITY.
And no offense. But leave Biden out of this, and just let decide for ourselves the fate and future of our country.
The only "denial" I see is another four years of the administration Trump.
12
@Leslie, sorry but Trump is not America at all. He represents a small and diminishing proportion of people. Trump's incompetence is the only reality. Your term "Biden like denial" is gibberish, and the only denial is your denial of Trump's damage to America.
5
@Leslie
Dear Leslie, I totally agree with you.
Trump dominates because he focuses attention, daily.
Biden and Democrats have no focus. They are BORING!
Boring is boring, is boring!
Democrats still refuse to understand how boring they are!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I suggest that Democrats need to focus on dreams, now.
They have no dreams, only boring programs to suggest.
Take,the "Democracy" song of Leonard Cohen.
Cohen sang, "Democracy is coming to the USA."
Democrats might dream of a new democratic wave,
in response to the Trump insanity, we have now.
They could sing "Democracy" over and over, again.
Instead, Democrats remain clueless and Trump trumps.
Wake up, Democrats, now, while there is still time!
"Democracy is coming to the USA."
-------------------------------------------
1
When your enemy is about to shoot himself in the foot, try not to get in the way.
We have to fight back against caged children and Russian attacks on our Democracy, but a parade?
Let Trump make even more of a narcissistic spectacle of himself than he usually does. Don't stop him.
After his playacting as emperor is done, FOIA how much money the event cost the taxpayers. Run attack adds showing pictures of the parade, of secret service agents on golf carts at his properties, of Mara Lago, of Trump hotels where the Emoluments Clause was violated--put a price tag next to each picture of narcissistic tacky excess and grift. Tally up what we the taxpayers have to pay for his delusions of grandeur and how Trump properties, of which he still holds an interest, are cashing in on his Presidency.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Don't stop his parade.
76
@Ann Who will pay for admission to his properties when he's out of office and fighting dozens of lawsuits? He may love the fight but few are willing to be tarred by an ex-prez. Lawsuits open many doors. The truth will come out, it always does.
8
@Ann
Great idea. But Democrats are too lame to do something like that. They can't even come up with one decent slogan. A 12 year old could devise better messaging. And when not folding like a folding card table, or wringing their hands about some non consequential side issue, they are relentlessly searching for new and inventive ways to lose elections. Still a great idea, but don't hold your breath.
3
And because Trump thinks that he is the country and that the country is all about him leads one to wonder what his base is thinking about when they support his every poorly-thought-out proposal, ill-informed comment and impulsive tweet. The man is contemptuous not only of those who challenge or despise him but also of those who support him. When he takes credit for everything that the nation achieves and shirks responsibility for everything that goes wrong he implicitly demeans every one of us. The most disheartening image relating to his administration is that of the great unwashed lining his motorcade route into Mar-a-Lago, cheering their feckless leader as he retreats to the private estate they'd never be able to visit unless a sudden lottery win enabled them to afford membership at the club or unless they were willing to pose as undocumented immigrants to work in the kitchen for less-than-minimum pay.
106
@stu freeman People generally see what they want to see. "He's a fighter" is the most common refrain. "Fighting for us." Once locked in, no one wants to believe they're gullible, it's what con artists count on, no matter the evidence to the contrary.
13
@stu freeman
trumps acolytes will follow their malignant narcissist leader over a cliff if that is what he demands. He'll claim the rocks below won't hurt and they'll crow with joy as they jump (even then sticking it to the rest of us as we urge them to reconsider).
6
This newsletter about a relatively minor matter stands in sharp contrast to the Times' lead editorial today on the aggressive anti-abortion movement, symbolized by Alabama's new near-total ban on abortions. Mr. Bruni is well aware of the media's "obsession" with Trump, yet this piece illustrates that this mainstream media flaw. It has been especially evident in what I term the "Mueller Mainia." These fixations have obscured far more important trends and events--the mushrooming movement against women's rights is just one of them. "Move on."
11
Personally, I think it should be pointed out how ugly it is all the time, as it's somehow now become so normalized that such a freak is our president and the freakish things he does are ho-hum daily events. For those of us with brains who see beyond the blather, we are horrified that this person is sitting where he is, and we will never stop being horrified.
165
@Edmund Thats’s because we were raised to be decent human beings. I cannot even fathom what my mother and father would have to say, they I am sure would be horrified.
12
@Edmund I am so glad that I don't have children. I feel nauseated every time I am awakened and remember that this is not a bad dream, but a waking nightmare.
4
Mr Bruni,
I appreciate your hesitancy to give Trump too much media real estate. It is difficult to balance his world-class shamelessness and indecency, of which we have daily reminders, to far more weighty concerns such as his ho-hum attitude about interference in our elections by a hostile foreign power or what appears to be a lead-up to an altercation with Iran, and possibly a full-blown war. Comandeering the 4th of July is just another example of his central attitude that the U.S. is his private business, ala Trump Corp., and he will do with us what he wants. In his world, the American people work for him, not the other way around.
15
"Most of his predecessors did nothing of the kind. They understood the day belonged to the country, not its leader; and they didn't conflate the two." Frank Bruni, this paragraph could be said about Trump, regarding a lot of things, not just Independence Day. Let's see 'They understood the Attorney General belonged to the country, not its leader'...'They understood the White House belonged to the country, not its leader'...'They understood the Congress belonged to the country, as a separate-coequal branch of government, not its leader'...'They understood the Supreme Court Justices belonged to the country, as a separate-coequal branch of government, not its leader'...'They understood the Constitution to say the President belonged to the country, not just those who are big fans of them'...'They understood our laws belonged to the country, including the President and his family'...Justice will be served. The day of reckoning will come and when it comes our 'so-called' president will be put in his rightful place in our country, because our government is of the people, for the people and by the people, NOT for Trump.
27
@GraceNeeded 'They understood the Constitution to say the President belonged to the country, not just those who are big fans of them'
I read somewhere someone was quoted as saying, "Plenty of presidents have been hated by half of America. Trump is the first president to hate half of America."
6
No, Frank, he uses it to ease his bone spurs.
More like a motto, perhaps stitched onto a throw pillow that he uses for lumbar support while slumping at the Resolute Desk.
6
In the cacophony of constant Trumpism, probably in his fantasy life more Fuhrer or exalted Generalissimo than President, I'm often left to consider which is truly worse: Trump himself, or all the people who blindly rush to offer obeisance at the foot of the pedestal upon which they've put him?
32
Among the 63 million Americans who voted for Donald Trump was 58% of the white European American voting majority including 62% of white men and 54% of white women.
Among the 66 million Americans who voted for Hillary Clinton was 92% of the black African American voting minority including 88% of black men and 95% of black women.
Donald Trump represents the white European American Judeo-Christian majority.
8
@Blackmamba And some 40,000 were voting against Hillary Clinton, not FOR Trump. It will be vastly different in 2020.
2
@Blackmamba
Well, not all of it. My husband and I are white, European-extraction, and Episcopalian( although some of the fundies don't think that's "christian"), and the current president does NOT represent us. Hope that gives a bit of hope.
1
The media (print and broadcast) should refuse to cover any speech by the Narcissist-in-Chief. It's their prerogative as to what to cover and, for the reasons you so clearly state, a speech by the N-i-C is not newsworthy.
10
I understand the impulse behind this column and the intent is indeed noble. But the country put an incompetent, evil, corrupt anti-Semite into office. Maybe we don't deserve better and his horrific presidency is our penance.
14
@Walter Penance for neglect, maybe, but Trump prepared all his life for this by learning not how the country runs but how the media runs. Sometimes a tidal wave hits without much warning for preparation, that doesn't mean it was deserved.
3
He's calling this perverted revision of our most patriotic, (formerly) non-partisan celebration "A Salute to America." But what he really means is "A Salute to Donald Trump":
https://www.amny.com/opinion/columnists/mike-vogel/vogel-donald-trump-fourth-of-july-fireworks-1.31079868
13
If President Trump walked on water the New York Times would write an article decrying him a terrible swimmer. He's hosting a big fourth of July parade. Get a grip.
4
@Colin
HERE'S the "Grip". Donald Trump is neither America -- or represents ALL of America.
Start there.
4
@Colin
He doesn't own the place, Colin. Not a host, unless he's paying for it out of his pocket. Fat chance of that.
2
Sorry enough deplorable Americans voted for him to let him win a technical presidency. They saw he lied often and early, they saw the hypocrisy of his religious positions vs his personal behavior, they same how he demeaned people and consorted with nasty people foreign and domestic.. No Donald, is America. The America of lazy people addled by to much white Jesus and anxious for easy answers. Our history is full of people who vote for Trumps. He is as American as a rotten apple pie. Thankfully our nations is full of decent people who stand up to demagogues and the people who worship the Trump.
31
ugly yes. This is a person with no perspective that history, contemplation or kindness affords to the rest of us. A person with out the heart and mind to live a good life. A worthless, pathetic, cruel, ignorant coward who doesn't know when to shut up.
If I hear his voice, I turn the channel on radio or TV.....Thank you Frank for listening to him so that I don't have to.
26
The Chinese Communist Party conflates its dictatorship, and its rulers, with China. Putin conflates Russia with himself. What is good for the rulers of China and Russia, what makes them wealthy, what protects them from opprobrium, what hides their dirty laundry-- all that is good for them they conflate with what is good for the nations they rule. In fact, as Americans, we know that Putin is not Russia and Xi is not China.
Trump’s conflation of what is good for himself with what is good for America, is driven by the same motivation, as that of the dictators in Russia and China. Donald is an enemy of Democracy: and so are the rulers of China and Russia. Donald is not America.
While we must of course end Donald’s attempted coup, with the votes we still have... one good thing can come of this. Russia and China are enemies of democracy. Those who would empower them through “free trade” are enemies of the people of the United States.
If our democracy is to thrive, we must not only water it with votes here in America. We must create a foreign policy that dis-empowers dictatorship's everywhere; we must wrest control over foreign policy from Wall Street. Dictators know that if Americans are free, and follow the policies of a free republic, that we are natural enemies of dictatorships. They are not supporting Donald just for fun: it’s a matter of survival.
It’s not just Donald we need to dis-empower: it’s anyone who supports dictatorship here in America, in any guise.
12
I have watched this Fourth of July celebration since it began in Washington. I will not watch this year if Trump’s plan goes through. The Fourth of Trump?? Not interested!
39
When I heard about Trump's idea to insert himself into Independence Day, a fascist warning signal about him went off in my brain (again). I was reminded of the 1990's Vanity Fair interview where Trump's then wife Ivana said he kept a book of Hitler's speeches, "My New Order," in the bedside nightstand to read from time to time. The book was given to him by a friend who thought he'd appreciate how skillfully propaganda could be used, or something like that. Trump claimed the friend was Jewish, as if that made a book of Hitler speeches not as bad. (The friend in fact was not Jewish.) The leader equals the state? That is exactly what Mussolini also said in speeches. Beyond frightening.
108
@Christina
The author of "Mein Kampf" did not end well, nor did his followers. I am not frightened of Trump, I am disgusted. Our nation will right itself. We are waiting for 2020, in our time-honored tradition of orderly elections. 2018 elections went pretty well. If 2020 is hijacked by foreign operatives, social media, and election fixing, we'll have to rethink what to do about it, but not yet. Pennsylvania's gerrymandering got fixed, and Michigan will follow soon. Things are changing for the better, slowly but significantly.
Even if Trump never faces charges relating to his presidency, he may well be jailed by the state of NY for business crimes, and the only ones having to listen to him then will be his cell mates, which might be a fate worse than death, come to think of it.
4
Perhaps PBS can just end programming when the president starts to speak.
What I do know is that if the president does insert himself, then the program will miserable. Remember all the entertainers who refused to participate in the inauguration?
30
The scenario of 'Individual-1/No Collusion' 45* using the occasion of July 4th and assembled holiday crowds to hold a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, giving a speech and bragging yuge crowds have come to see Himself, is beyond stomach-churning.
Even worse, are the multiple July 4th 'fireworks briefings' Clear & Present Danger 45* has reportedly been taking each day, when it is well-known he very often has no time at all for the Presidential Daily Briefing that has been prepared by our intel agencies.
18
@R. Law - Plainly, this president is trying to break the Constitution, the same way he has broken GOP'ers. He must be stopped.
While Ms. Pelosi is correct that public opinion must be dragged along so there is buy-in from voters who are not the GOP'er base, it is likely the impeachment process will have to be invoked to strengthen Congress's power in its court confrontations with a branch of government that is amok. Whether impeachment articles actually result is a separate decision from starting the process; so be it - Democrats swore an Oath, AND 40 of them were elected in November to replace GOP'ers to provide a check on Complicit GOP'er Senators.
This presidency has been unconstitutional from its inauguration, due to violations of the Emoluments Clause; Clear & Present Danger 45* wants to pretend he's "special" in some way - that he is above the explicit terms of the Constitution, and inside a bubble of protection as POTUS.
Whilst Dems are investigating and public testimony is given in Congress in the near term, Dems should be sure they have strong candidates running against supposedly 'safe' GOP Senators in red states - as the rot and stench of 'Indvidual-1/No Collusion' 45* becomes all pervasive, red state GOP'ers will be amazingly vulnerable.
Dem Senate candidates should hammer the message that the Constitution gives Congress authority over trade and tariffs, not a president.
10
Remember how we used to look at other countries that fell into the hands of authoritarian regimes led by toxic, incompetent despots and thought, "What's wrong with those people? How did they let that happen?"
We are in real danger of becoming "those people."
158
@Randy
That possibility will be addressed in 2020.
Let us hope that most people will have 20/20 vision when they vote.
12
@Mensabutt The war will be in full gear by then. I doubt that if were Trump to lose (which is unlikely) that he would step down from office.
@Dad
All this worry about whether a defeated Trump would step down from office is click-bait. He would be removed by law enforcement. He can leave in dignity in a limo, or be left standing in the street with the tourists.
4
Frank you say that "Trumpian logic, more narcissistic than syllogistic, holds that if it’s the president’s job to lift up the country, then it’s the country’s job to lift up the president"
I agree with Trumpian logic, so on Independence day I think it is only appropriate that we lift Trump way up by attaching him to a large firecracker and lighting the fuse.
24
@Jay Orchard Maybe some brave adviser could say, "Mr. Trump, Obama never had the guts to go into space and be the first president to walk on the sun. Think of the parade we'd have when you get back!"
If he didn't think it was a good idea, you could just tell him he could go at night.
10
Well, I guess I'm one of those who's "guilty of treason" or "orchestrating a coup" because I object to virtually everything Trump is, says and does. Fine. I wear those labels proudly.
The reason Trump wants a gaudy Fourth of July celebration is the same as the reason he Tweeted about the "Kentuky" Derby... he needs to insert himself into the center of everything, even (or perhaps especially) things having nothing inherently to do with him. Take away his microphone and his audience and Trump, as we know him, ceases to exist.
So back to Independence Day. I like MEZA's comment suggesting that if Trump has his way, we make it a National Day of Mourning. But if that doesn't catch on, maybe I'll do what I did last year -- go to Canada, where I can ignore him.
10
Mr. Bruni, tell 35% of American citizens that this president does not represent them. Even as he literally takes the bread out of their mouths, midwestern farmers blame their plight on China. He's given voice to their prejudices and they love him for it. Case closed.
17
@silver vibes: Trump supporters don't read the NY Times. stump has made it sound like a failing media. Besides, I think anything printed in the NY Times might be a little too "deep" for that bunch!
5
Every day we see more and more examples of madness, this is just one of them; the scale up of rancor with Iran is incredibly scary. I simply do not understand why people are not protesting in the streets - are we really that fat and happy gorging on economic growth that we do not see the damage being done by powerful corporations with political clout, corruption at the highest level of government, the rich getting richer, shameful treatment of innocent and poor people, health care costs run amok, the list goes on and on? I fear that due to the Democrats not embracing a winnable candidate and just adding confusion to the discussion every day that we hand another four years to ths madman. What will become of us then? Without the Senate and with 45 still in office - we are toast.
9
It has been observed many times that trump is merely the manifestation of much that is truly ugly in America - he bubbled up out of the miasma and now is the proud pustule atop the festering carbuncle.
I hope I didn't ruin anyone's dinner with that one.
29
The 4th of July, is little more than the richest nation in history creating a spectacle over itself; sounds like the Trump in Chief fits perfectly with that sort of pomp and indulgence.
Come on. Shooting off fireworks is just an juvenile way to "CELEBRATE". Take the money wasted, the air contaminated and the animals frightened and please "shove it up the gaping hole of culture", and come up with a better way to celebrate our once-upon-a-time independence.
I served honorably in USMC in the 1970's, love the "idea" of America; but despise the narcissistic impulses that we exhibit and gaze upon so lovingly. To me, Donald Trump epitomizes that and is a just a manifestation of the same.
16
As a practical matter, can't he be prevented from taking over the festivities? I assume the White House is not the sponsor, organizer or financier of the event, is it? I don't know who is - maybe Congress? Or, the District of Columbia?
Whoever, please tell him to "buzz" off - or a word to that effect.
6
Thank you Frank Bruni, but you do not go far enough. By taking what for decades has been a nonpartisan and unifying celebration and placing himself at its center, Trump is committing outright THIEVERY.
It is yet another grotesque example of his narcissism, lack of emotional intelligence, and blatant partisanship. And yet Republican leaders who false accused President Obama of being a self-centered leader will once again remain silent.
Simply disgusting.
18
Trump's bizarre-spangled Fourth would lose its luster if only the cable TV networks will set aside their greed for one magical night and patriotically refuse to broadcast this grotesque event.
Will they, though? His Nuremberg-style rallies are always reliably lucrative for the the networks and their corporate sponsors. Think of the audience share and the ratings, the blow-by-blow coverage starting at the crack of dawn's early light, the talking heads acting out all the shock, awe and outrage they can muster.
Who in their right consumer mind has ever stayed home on the Fourth to watch military brass bands playing on PBS, or a rerun of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" with James Cagney as George M. Cohan? Trump could literally change the whole tradition and meaning of this day for at least some people.
Not that he'd use the occasion for the public good, of course, such as lecturing young people not to blow their fingers or their MAGA-hat wearing heads off with illegal fireworks. In fact, he might do the exact opposite, and load up his cheesy online store with Trump-branded sparklers or rocket grenade launchers for the kiddies. It would certainly help get people all hyped up for all the new global wars he seems so anxious to start with his pals Bolton and Pompeo.
Boycott Trump this Fourth of July. As George M. Cohan might say as he rolls in his grave: "My mother will thank you, my father will thank you, my sister will thank you, and I will thank you!"
17
Trump is America. America is not as great as we like to think. We have more money and bigger bombs but that is about it. That was laid bare in the racist backlash (and backlash against non white-male domination) against President Obama.
All you need to do is take a look at his approval rating among republicans. Consider who has been appointed to judgeships. Consider who has been appointed to important positions within our government. Consider who makes the important decision that will impact the country. White men are back and everyone should get back in the corner. They will be called when its time to clean the table.
14
I agree with you.
This is what we have when a dictator is in charge. We certainly have one now!
What little power congress has is not being used to save the country. The spineless republicans love what is happening to a once great country.
This all proves again and again this administration and all in it are incapable of running a country.
How many children are still locked up in dog cages?
8
As a proud Washingtonian I not only agree but express my deep anger and sorrow at Mussolini’s latest stunt. By Washington, I don’t mean the “corridors of power” plywood set of tv and movies: I mean the DC of Dupont Circle and Shaw, of the Warner and Howard theaters, of Ben’s Chili Bowl and The Tune Inn. That is my town, our town, blacks and whites, Asians and Hispanics. Independence Day here has always been a refresher course in our long attempt here, with many starts and stops but also many triumphs, of building mutual respect, community and love. Every year my wife and I host a 4th of July bbq, with Howard law students, UDC students, high school kids and retirees, of every race and origin. We have always been so proud to see those fireworks painting the summer sky over our town, our home, our little America. Now, once again, Trump has despoiled the sacred.
25
Just call him Benedict Donald on July 4 and every other day.
At any other time in modern America, he would be impeached and convicted for high crimes and misdemeanors.
It’s time for Congress and the American people to tell this guy, “Enough!” If tens of millions of us would send that message to Congress on a postcard, he would be gone.
7
This is the latest bit of exaggerated faux patriotism from one of the most amoral presidents this nation has endured. His incivility knows no bounds; his insertion with this latest example of his blundering into the national scene by turning the Revolution of Concord and Lexington into a play featuring the Emperor must be squelched. Keep up the reports, notwithstanding your reasons for not doing so, this latest example of Trump's calumny deserves notice.
7
Trump is looking to make the 4th another campaign rally, with fireworks and pomp supplied by our tax dollars. This should not stand. Trump's attempt at branding the 4th for his political benefit should be roundly ridiculed, called out by Congress. This holiday is sacred, and should not be a Trumpian circus.
15
As far as Independence Day is concerned Donald Trump may not be America but he certainly is a hot dog.
7
Mr. Bruni says we've had plenty of presidents who were vain, but I think we'll agree we've never had one who's UTTERLY RIDICULOUS (Trump-style all caps).
22
I'm glad my Battle Of The Bulge, World War II hero Dad did not live to see this presidency. It would have mitigated everything he believed in and fought for.
10
Yes. I hear DJT praise himself but I am not sure he knows what America is, and thus, he wouldn’t know how to celebrate it.
4
My Lithuanian Jewish grandmother, arriving in the US about 1908, who never learned to speak English well and was essentially illiterate; and who had many grandchildren and great grandchildren with advanced degrees, represented more positive American values than Donald Trump on his best day.
23
Of course Trump will be the Grand Marshall of this Parade. Hopefully no one shows up to watch it.
6
Trump is not America and neither is the GOP. But most people who remained Republicans in the Trump era do not seem to care
that their party's positions are not supported by most Americans.
They maybe a minority but they think of themselves as the true Americans, the rest are interlopers who just came off the boats (or rather airplanes these days). The GOP has become the anti-diversity party, and the more they are in the minority the more tenaciously they hang to power by means foul and fair.
21
@serban
Many are disgusted. Give them a viable alternative and Trump is toast.
3
Most of the people at a DC Independence day celebration will be DC residents. I wouldn't be surprised if Trump was thoroughly booed by the crowd. It could be quite entertaining, and a marvelous display of participatory democracy.
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@Tom Meadowcroft
Have you seen his rallies? Do you really think they will allow a large number of anti-Trump Americans to be present?
17
In fact, it would be a lot of fun to attend for the sole purpose of booing him.
8
@Mike
Have you seen his rallies? -- Do you honestly think THEY represent ALL of America???
Think again.
5
My dear Frank, He IS America. The part that isn’t discussed much in polite society. The part that is understated in scholarly papers, and well considered, thoughtful Journalism. The part that connects us all to our animal natures, and tribalism. Beneath all the bluster and megalomaniac blunders, HE is a great Salesman.
He sells Fear and Hate. Born and exquisitely trained for the Job, with a lifetime of experience, and no consequences for his actions and failures. The perfect “ face “ for the GOP, after decades of FOX, Radio and talking heads. His Collaborators knew exactly what WE were getting, and yet they continue to ride the crazy train. They deserve extinction, as a political party.
HE deserves Prison. Period.
671
@Phyliss Dalmatian Legitimate critics of Trump like you need to be more careful on how wide a brush they use to paint this country. A minority of voters put him in power thanks to our outmoded electoral college system. The majority rejected him, and polls consistently show the majority still does.
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@Alan Mass
Point taken. But, I’m tired of being careful, and compassionate. His insane clown posse is destroying OUR Country, day by day. They deserve scorn, not “ understanding “. I’m done.
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@Phyliss Dalmatian
Beyond your first sentence you did not say that he is America. What you said is that he is the GOP.
33
45 is a symptom.
His FANS are the disease.
Unfortunately for our country, they DO represent America far more closely than readers of Frank's column do.
We are watching the end of the American experiment in real time.
Sigh...America. It was nice while it lasted.
306
@EK well said and I am very sorry to say, I fear incredibly accurate. Unfortunately, the end of the American experiment could very well lead to the end of humanity on this planet, given that the people currently leading this train wreck of a country are going in the opposite direction regarding climate change. I feel like we are at the point in the movie where you can hear the clock ticking, unfortunately this is real life and there is no hero desperately at work trying to save the day.
49
The flaws of the constitution are becoming more and more apparent every day. I don’t think these United States can continue for another hundred years, I would be interesting to be around to see what form of government is in place by then.
This country was just another form of government that’s been tried and failed along with many other forms over the millennia. Somehow we thought it was really special, turns out it’s really not, it’s only human.
43
@Dan Casey
christian theological autocracy...
18
If this would happen - the appropriate response might well be a nationwide strike. No businesses to open, no attendance at parades or celebrations. No press coverage of the speech.
A National Day of Mourning for our lost democracy
382
@Meza
my thoughts are similar - that this is the perfect day for the womens march 2.0 (i know i need a better name as we have already had 3, but that first one felt so reassuring- at elast briefly). T only goes to rallies where his supporters can cheer him. how about a rally where he doesnt disinvite the majority who disagree with him? i suspect he would just disinvite himself if the majority could pull this off - but i'm ok with that. what could be more defining of independence from tyrants and monarchy than a full fledged protest of T??
47
@frederick norton I'm with you...time to march.
33
@frederick norton I love this idea. Maybe we could gather enough people to do it. Of course he would 1) deny it happened and 2) say the crowd was bigger than his Inauguration crowd.
14
Trump will look out over a diminished Fourth of July crowd and claim it was the largest ever. But, tens of thousands of Americans--the real Americans who love this country and its Constitution--will take their celebrations elsewhere. And everyone except Fox News and Trump himself will notice.
145
Trump will use his stage time at the Lincoln Memorial on the 4th as the country celebrates Independence for "an aria of self-congratulation — the only song he knows."
My family will watch firework displays from other cities and avoid whatever channel Washington D.C. fireworks are covered. I feel a need to protest. I am disgusted, repulsed and concerned with Trump and his words (tweets) and actions. I don't want this media numbers counter Trump talking about having the largest audience for any speech.
171
The Dotard's presence at these celebrations is just another opportunity to show up and protest
7
I was thinking that if Trump goes through with his plans to politicize the 4th of July that we simply “boycott” the day: No BBQs, no picnics, no ball games, etc. on the 4th.
Perhaps some people will take note that many people are celebrating July 6th...
5
@Phobos
"we simply “boycott” the day:"
No, celebrate in Philadelphia, with an emphasis on freeing ourselves from a dictatorial King
7
The Fourth should be about a country being born.Not about one’s self. Everything that comes of Trumps mouth is wrong. Tariffs, climate change, Iran nuclear deal, taxes, to name a few all wrong. 2020 can’t come soon enough. Hopefully we can last that long.
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