Here’s what I don’t understand. Donald Trump has relentlessly maligned his own appointees in business and in his administration. He has relentlessly maligned political contenders in his own party and other parties. A guy who has never served his country (claimed bone spurs)—nor have his children—maligns those who have served in the military. He continues to malign government institutions. His comments about women are crude, rude, racist, and misogynistic. So, given all that, why is anyone still loyal to Donald Trump?
Trump claims that, “If they’re coming after me, they are coming after you.” Folks, Trump is not your friend. “They” aren’t coming after you. He is coming after you. Why? Because he has come after virtually everybody else. Below are just a few cases in point.
Jeff Sessions, his attorney general. Trump said his appointment was “one of the worst mistakes I ever made. He’s an idiot.”
John Bolton, his national security advisor. Trump said, “If I had listened to him, we would be in World War 6.” (What?)
Michael Cohen, lawyer for the Trump organization. Trump said, “If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don’t retain the services of Michael Cohen. He’s a weak person, not a very smart person, a fraudster.”
Steve Bannon, Chief Strategist, White House. Trump later called him “Sloppy Steve.”
Omarosa, former Apprentice contestant and later a Trump campaign director. Trump called her “not very smart,” a “lowlife.”
Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State. Trump described him as “a moron,” “dumb as a rock,” and “lazy as hell.”
General Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Trump called him a “traitor who deserves the death penalty.”
Nikki Haley, UN Ambassador. Trump called her a “birdbrain” and later sent her campaign a birdcage and bird feed. Haley’s campaign manager called his actions, “weird, creepy, and desperate.”
These people are Trump’s political appointees. He chose them. Please help me understand why any sane person would agree to serve in his administration should he be reelected.
Here are a few comments that Trump has made about those who have served our country. Trump called those who served in the military and died “suckers.” He did not want to be seen in the presence of amputees because it didn’t make him look good. He refused to visit the graves of soldiers in France. He called them “losers.” Please help me understand why any veteran or any parent of a child who served in the military would vote for this man.
Here are just a few nicknames Trump has for his adversaries: Crooked Hillary, Little Rocket Man, Little Marco, Low-energy Jeb, Pocahontas, Crazy Maxine Waters, Sleepy Creepy Joe, Little Adam Schiff, Shifty Schiff, Wild Bill Clinton, Cheatin’ Obama, Lyin’ Ted, Alfred E. Neuman, Nervous Nancy, Mr. Magoo, Slime Ball James Comey, Ron DeSanctimonious, Meatball Ron, Letitia Peekaboo James, Deranged Jack Smith, Psycho Joe.
Here is just a sampling of the institutions that Trump has maligned: the FBI, Department of Justice, Department of Education, CIA, US Courts, the Military, and NATO.
Here are a few derogatory comments Trump has made about women: slobs, pigs, dogs, fat, ugly, and horseface.
Here is how Trump describes himself: “Great looking,” “smart,” “a true stable genius.”
My case rests.
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the Federal Human Capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, gardening, piano, kayaking and nature.
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Mickey Terrone says
Excellent summary of a) Trump’s psychotic behavior and state of mind and b) the amazing state of denial that so many of his supporters remain, either to ignore or blindly dismiss. Trump supporters seem to believe in him more than they believe him and what he says. Many evangelical supporters believe in him despite his utterly anti-Christian bigotry and racism. Its apparently OK with Trump claiming he grabs women by the *****, so long as he doesn’t grab his supporters’ wives or daughters or mothers by the *****.
I’m looking forward to reading the responses of some of his usual apologists.
Maria Grant says
See below. Some say he is striking back justifiably (what?) Others say it is the fault of democratic policies.
Margaret Andersen says
Speaking truth to power! Good for you Maria! I would add that his policies do not serve ordinary people…only the rich.
Maria Grant says
Thanks Maggie. You are right. Tax breaks for the wealthy are his stock in trade.
Jerry McConnell says
Yet you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an American ( that’s what they’re calling themselves) who not only absolves the Orange Dunce from accountability for his disgusting behavior and language, but think he’s a wonderful role model and are ready to vote for him again.
These defective people are really the problem. They’re caught in a net with millions of other numbskulls, validating each other’s identities as loyalists who are defending the country against its multitude of enemies. Enemies like teachers and soldiers and pregnant women and gays and those horrible liberals.
Anyone who supports Trump after all his transgressions is purely and simply not rational. It’s almost like the poisonous historical episodes that brought us Hitler, Stalin and the others. They’re trying, with Trump as a guide and a cheerleader, to reset democracy in this country.
Paul Rybon says
Mrs Grant has not done her research. She seems merely parroting what she’s heard. It’s true that Donald Trump’s comments and character assessments of people that cross him aren’t often very politically correct but in every case they are in retaliation for spurious and nasty comments from those individuals. Without exception these individuals have turned on him FIRST. A keen observer of history, He has learned from ex POTUS Bush that there is nothing to be gained from rolling over, paws up.
With respect to the General, he is the one we can blame for the disastrous Afghanistan removal and then publicly blaming Trump who wasn’t even POTUS at the time. There’s a lot of people mad at this disaster.
I would like to see proof that Donald Trump actually said much that has been attributed to him but lesson learned…he is not ‘coming for you’re but is not afraid to retaliate.
Maria Grant says
Paul,
Thanks for your comments but I beg to differ. I actually found source documents with those exact quotes. So even if you believe that all those negative comments were a result of someone else lashing out first (which I differ with you here as well), perhaps, in that case, you would question his judgment in terms of appointees.
John Fischer says
You are right, Ms. Grant. The man is dreadful. And yet, apparently, he has an even chance of being elected President. Do you think that fact has anything to do with policies of today’s Democratic Party?
Lynn Randle says
Certainly something to think about. But the policies of BOTH parties are part of the predicament we seem to be facing in the coming election year.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Maria, I have decided to avoid this website again. For you and your great piece, I make a exception,
thank you!
. Curious you would say this. One Party wants to protect voting, the majority of Americans agree, women’s health decision, 80% percent of Americans agree, women’s decision on her own health, 70% plus Americans agree, “sensible” gun laws, 80% of Americans agree, lower prescription meds, 85% of Americans support, supporting Ukraine’s effort for democracy, even the majority of Republicans in Congress agree because it is cheaper than WW3.
And you say “both Parties”? You are wrong. The Republican Party are owned by not only big business but, of course Trump. And his need for Putin’s acceptance, and election interference ,determine all of his policies.
Anyone who wants to live in a democracy will vote for Biden. Period.
Great comment from the Washington Post:
“ Every single time the “msm” reports this non sense about two sides I’m going to refute it. There are no moderate republicans! The more the media makes these false equivalencies, the more normal the MAGA terror cult appears. What we’re seeing is unprecedented and it is not normal. We have never seen a president launch a terrorist attack on the country to try to remain in power. We have never seen sitting members of congress vote to steal an election even after the terrorist attack. We have never see a president try to hang his VP and the speaker of the house to disrupt the certification of an election. We have never seen that same person steal national secrets and disclose them to the enemies of the nation. We have never seen a former president convicted of raping a woman. We have never seen a former president likely convicted of committing massive fraud over a forty year period. We have never seen a president who hired a terrorist group to hack into voting machines and steal the codes and the voters demographic information.
We have never seen a former president call for violence against his perceived enemies on a daily basis. I could go on for 12 or 20 thousand more words about things we’ve never seen but… we’ve never seen a political party embrace a person like this and a “msm” who works overtime to normalize it.”
This man is the Republican nominee for the Presidency. What the hell is wrong with people? And I will add, where the hell is GWBush and all his fellow staffers I see occasionally in WDC at events? Where is James Baker? I have lost all respect for these people who I so admired. Power and influence is corrupting, integrity is tougher and displays
character. All remarks are vague and meant to mute the issue. Liz Cheney can sleep at night knowing she’s done all she can. Well done Liz!
Maria Grant says
Thanks so much for your comments. Much appreciated.
Dick Deerin says
Thank you for this letter. We’ll said.
Michael Davis says
I think loyalty to Trump is best understood as compliance to a clut leader. History is filled with cult leaders that exercise tremendous control over their followers regardless of what they say or do. For example, Jim Jones, David Korash, Rafael Trujillo, Huey Long, and many, many others. Only in that context does Trump make sense to me.
Brian Spector says
I normally never read the tripe that is spewed on this far left site, but I’ll just say this to all of you President Trump haters. The country was far better off under President Trump than under the totally corrupt and incompetent buffoon that occupies the WH.
It’s indisputable. You haters will just continue to hate, and what you really hate is the fact that President Trump was successful.
Maria Grant says
Thank you for writing. I guess we just have different definitions of success.
Joanne Harwood says
Your case against Donald Trump may rest with your attacks on his person. Be fair, now list his accomplishments. Check them out on the web, and you might start with aggressive border and immigration control on our southern border, making our country energy independent and the world’s biggest oil producer, slashed taxes, reduced poverty and reduced unemployment to the lowest level for half-a-century, signed a major tax reform bill into law and oversaw a reduction of federal regulations. To the US benefit, his administration also renegotiated trade agreements with Mexico, Canada, China, Japan, and South Korea, increased military budgets,and reduced prescription drug prices. When Covid hit he created “Operation Warp Speed” and gave fast and unparalleled assistance to NYC (although the Democratic governor wouldn’t accept it and sent Covid patients into nursing homes instead). Trump also moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, something that Congress authorized some 20 years prior but no President would do for political reasons. These are several of the things that Trump oversaw to Make America Great Again.
To your point, Trump can’t seem to get out of his own way and brings diversity where there need not be any. His policies and agenda for our country have been outstanding and I would rather have Trump as President than the incompetent turkey we now have. DeSantis believes in Trump’s agenda and he would have my vote. BUT, no more Democrats and their woke poison.
Brian Spector says
Well said. I was going list all of Trumps accomplishments, but the haters don’t care. I’ll take Trump any day over what we have now.
Maria Grant says
Joanne, thanks for writing. You have an interesting perspective.
Brian Spector says
It’s not interesting, but it’s spot on.
Over 6 million illegals(not counting got aways) have come into the US since the incompetent buffoon took office. Biden ended Remain in Mexico, stopped the building of the wall.
We were energy independent under Trump.
Secure oil reserves.
We had a strong economy under Trump.
Our military was rebuilt.
Very low INFLATION under Trump
Lower taxes.
Less government red tape so businesses could expand.
Strong dollar.
Growing 401Ks.
Market Profits
No wars
Middle East Peace- Abraham Accords
On this note Russia never would have attacked Ukraine if Trump was president.
And we would not have been sending money to Iran which has backed Hamas in this latest attack on Israel.
I have no idea as to what your idea of success is.
Biden has been and is a complete disaster.
One more thing.I hope I never see another “Joe Knows Us” campaign sign. He doesn’t even know his own name.
Paul Rybon says
Thank you for writing the rebuttal that I wish I had written. There is so much hate, distortions and unproven lies about what Dond Trump may have done BEFORE he was POTUS that the avalanche tends to obscure the truths and initiatives that he worked on DURING his short presidency. For instance, just this week Biden has been forced to acknowledge the wall failure. Two weeks ago we learned that an emboldened China is in process of building many new coal plants, something Trump warned us about. And now we learn that raising taxes and the interest rate, which He resisted, is taking the country into a recession, hurting the housing market in particular and ordinary folks in general. We’re about to lose more automobile building and manufacturing overseas because of increased taxes and crippling regulations. There’s a lot more.
But the diehard haters still don’t acknowledge something so basic as the phony Russian dossier nor that our President is a crook and has been for a long time. And that basic freedoms are being stripped from us. Those are a few of the reasons that it’s possible that Donald Trump still could end up being our next POTUS and thereby pushing back this Biden nightmare that we find ourselves in.
Mary Drake says
I was a Republican most of my life, but began to waver away when Reagan was in office, and switched parties FINALLY, after voting for Democrats for years, in 2003.
Now 94 years old, I feel dizzy at the vast changes in this nation and the world since I was a child and a young woman. I wonder why so many folks are just flat out crazy now, and most of them seem to be Republicans. Is it medications? Drugs? Alcohol? A Belief system? Whatever it is, I hope it goes away and stays away.
General Milley a traitor? I think NOT! My Dad was a 1925 West Point grad, and I lived there for years as a child, while he taught there. I lived through all of World War II. These people do not understand patriotism. They do not know how all out that war was. Everyone took part in it. Everyone. In one way or another. Did you know we had ration books? Vast shortages of everything? We used to say things like “Oh, you won’t find that in rubber! Rubber has gone to war!” It was a hard, hard time for all of us; but we were like one big family. I swear!
Maria Grant says
Mary, thank you so much for your comments. So glad that you wrote this. What an interesting perspective!
Kay Klepfer says
Joanne Harwood ,
I am a great fan of Fact Check .
I suggest you fact check all your comments.
Oh and to be fair, No politicians are spared from my fact checking.
Maria Grant says
Thanks for your comment.
Joanne Harwood says
Kay Klepfer, your comments are noted. With your being a fan of Fact Check, please specify which accomplishment(s) you and Fact Check specifically disagree with. I don’t see any. Your elucidation would be helpful.Thank you.