Sometimes, the comments made on editorials are more interesting than the editorials themselves. Take mine, for example. With admirable regularity, I find something negative to say about the President. One week, I complained about his cabinet appointments. The next, I complained about the tariffs. I also have written against Trump’s denying deportees’ due process. I wrote that seizing suspected illegal immigrants off the street, loading them onto planes, and delivering them to South Sudan is wrong.
Several readers have asked me why I can’t simply acknowledge all the good that Trump is doing for America. The idea, I think, is that Trump may be quirky, but he is doing a lot to make America better. We need to overlook things about Trump such as his name-calling or redecorating the White House in gold and focus on the good stuff.
One reader even reminded me, as the White House Press Secretary does frequently, that Trump is a highly successful businessman who has given up “everything” to Make America Great Again.” This obviously isn’t true.
I wish I could write something positive about Donald Trump, but I can’t. I’m not able to point to a single positive thing that he deserves credit for.
What about border security, you ask? I support rational regulation of immigration, including securing the borders. Trump lost me with the prison in El Salvador and the flights to South Sudan.
What about the decrease in the rate of inflation? Less inflation is a good thing, but did Trump make it happen? I don’t think so. The CPI was headed down before Trump took office. Did the possibility of Trump winning the election do the trick? Of course not.
Inflation peaked at more than 9 percent in 2022 when Biden was President. Economists tell us that disruptions in the supply chain resulting from the pandemic and increases in the cost of energy resulting from Russia’s war against Ukraine contributed to the increase. Biden did not cause the pandemic. It started in March 2020. Trump was president and ignored covid until it was a national crisis. (You can be sure that if Biden had been president when the pandemic began, Trump would have blamed it on Biden.)
And who believes Trump when he claims that Russia would never have invaded Ukraine had he been President? Remember that Trump also claimed he would end the war “on Day One” of his second term or even before taking office? I do. Blaming Biden for the war is, to put it mildly, a stretch.
And what about Biden’s spending? By 2024, the annual rate of inflation was down to 3.3 percent, despite the enactment of Biden’s multi-trillion-dollar bills to address climate change and other domestic policy needs. And, as a resident of the Eastern Shore, I enthusiastically supported federal spending and regulation to address climate change.
Had Biden been reelected, inflation may have continued to decrease, but we’ll never know. What we do know is that four months into his presidency, Trump is taking credit for fixing the economy. This may prove premature. By the end of the year, Trump’s tariffs may drive prices higher. Most economists say that is probable. (But don’t expect Trump to admit he was wrong or take responsibility for the problem.)
And what will happen if his ludicrously named “Big Beautiful Bill” is enacted? We know that his pending multibillion dollar extension of his 2017 tax cuts and increases in defense and border security spending will increase the national debt by more than $2.8 trillion over the next 10 years.
Some will disagree that Trump takes credit for positive developments that he had little to do with. But what about the things he says “make America great again” that do nothing of the sort? Let me list a few:
Eliminating funding for public television and radio. (Cut because Trump views them as critical of his policies.)
Cutting medical research. Are we supposed to be grateful for Trump ending important cancer clinical trials?
Ending efforts to combat climate change, including attempting to rescind money for projects already appropriated by Congress. If you live within 50 miles of an ocean shoreline, you should be worried.
Redecorating the Oval Office in gold. Please don’t tell me I’m supposed to take pride in this decorating fiasco. And who is going to pay to have it all taken down after Trump leaves office?
Attacking Harvard University and its students. Why this obsession with Harvard? Destroying Harvard will not make America great—it will destroy something that is part of American greatness.
Attacking Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs. How exactly does ending DEI programs benefit white males or help American citizens who are people of color?
Appointing himself to Chair the Kennedy Center. I liked the pre-Trump programming at the Kennedy Center. Trump wants to replace classical music, opera and other “highbrow” culture with more popular fare corresponding to his own taste. Surprise! Ticket sales have dropped dramatically.
End the Department of Education and funding for low-income students, teacher development, student aid, and educational research.
Holding a $45 million dollar parade on your birthday because June 14 is also the anniversary of the U.S. Army. I predict massive disruption, massive damage to DC roads, massive protests, and potentially serious misdeeds.
Cutting benefits and services to Veterans.
Closing Social Security Offices. I don’t like waiting on the phone for an hour to get a question answered from someone who has no clue how to solve the problem.
Watching Kristi Noem flash a Rolex in front of the infamous El Salvadoran prison. Her stunt was embarrassing and shameful. A good president would have fired her.
I could go on with this list. Let’s be clear. President Trump claims things “Make America Great Again,” that don’t. Many of his actions take benefits and services from Americans, undermine the rule of law, and jeopardize democracy.
Dare I say it, Trump is making his bed—a legacy of chaos and a reversal of progress—and will have to sleep in it. Fifty years from now, it will be clear that Trump was a much worse president than Nixon. The gold trim in the Oval Office, the Qatari 747, the Crypto, Musk dancing with a chainsaw, and Trump’s devotion to the game of golf will be what is remembered. What also will be remembered is the number of decades it will take to put the country back in order.
If we are lucky and work together to stop the madness, Trump will be seen as an aberration and an embarrassment, nothing more.
J.E. Dean writes on politics, government but, too frequently, on President Trump. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.
Jim Bachman says
His silly parade is right out of the Tin-pot Dictator playbook.
John Dean says
A $45 million silly parade. . . .
Jim Bachman says
His own people disapprove. Beltway chronicler Politico surveyed 50 GOP lawmakers and found just seven who said they planned to attend.
Maurice Schlesinger says
While I respect the desires of Trump voters to see our nation’s deficit cut and our borders secured, what good comes from creating chaos? What good comes from angering your allies and encouraging your enemies? How can we be a country of liberty and justice when the laws of the nation are broken by the man who swore to uphold them? The President’s job is to enforce the laws and implement the programs Congress enacted. The job is of an administrator. To make change, as Teddy Rosevelt said, the presidency is a “bully pulpit.” Trump’s election doesn’t give him carte blanche to make imperialistic changes in our government, nor the right to wage war on our own soil. It gives him the opportunity to work with Congress to redirect the ship of state, not run it aground.
John Dean says
Thank you for your comment. I agree, especially with the comment, “The job is of an administrator.”
Melissa L Barrett says
This article is spot on. I am anxious about what will become of this country by the end of his term. Ending programs that enrich us and that help low-income people survive is cruel. But what I find most inexcusable is his treatment of veterans – the people who volunteer to put themselves in harm’s way for our country. How could anyone support that?
John Dean says
Thank you for reading the piece and for your comment. I agree with all of that. Why Trump, who claims to be a champion of the military, has overseen cutting VA staff and benefits is beyond me.
Wilson Dean says
President Trump’s very personal failings account for so much of his actions. His out-of-control narcissism leads to a dictator-style military parade on his birthday as well as the all-too-frequent obligatory gaudy praise demanded of each Cabinet member at his meetings. His inability to think rationally and devise strategically-sound policies results in his preference for total chaos as he spews out a slew of Executive Orders devoid of any support in our Constitution. Yet none of his supporters dare tell him the Emperor is wearing no clothing, as he has decimated the Republican party and turned it into a cult. His personal failings are enormous, and so are the chances the US could become a failed state because of his shortcomings.
John Dean says
I agree. I won’t be watching the parade this weekend.
Bob Parker says
Contrary to his, and his oress secretary’s pronouncements, Mr. Trump was not a successful businessman unless you consider 8 bankruptcies a success! He was started out with the equivalent of $4 million buy his father who also bailed him out when his Atlantic City casino went bankrupt. I ask, who bankrupts a casino? trump is unable to admit failure always denying responsibility and blames someone else. He is like a dog with a bone in that he grabs on to a concept or policy, e.g., Harris, and never reconsider even when the adverse consequences are apparent. His judgements is faulty and his lack of humility places our country at risk.
John Dean says
Great comment. I agree. I choke every time I hear that Trump was a successful businessman. What is impressive, however, is the substantial amount of money he has earned since returning to the White House. Who knew that a President could make over a billion dollars in less than 4 months by “leveraging the office”
Mike Hora says
Hey brilliant synopsis detailing the destruction of the United States.
John Dean says
Thanks for reading the piece. I like to think the United States is only being temporarily harmed. I remain hopeful that things will change.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk MD says
Thank you for writing this piece. The daily hand grenade rolled in to the room by the administration is to maintain a continual distraction from the fact that Trump, his family, his cronies, and his sycophants, are enriching themselves mightily. He has not “given up everything to make America great again”. In fact, he has leveraged the power of his office to make business deals the world over. I agree, there is not one thing he has done that is good for the country.
John Dean says
Thank you for the comment. We live in troubled times.
Michael Estrella says
I am a Viet Nam veteran who is retired and drawing a pension along with my social security and I am on Medicare as well as a supplement that came with my retirement and I think tRump is doing a fantastically wonderfully outstanding job of………providing us all with an example of what a president of these United States of America should never be allowed to be, now, or in the future. He has become the world’s number one example of making a fool of himself, of his administration, and of the political party that bends it’s knee to his every desire. Now he seems to be demanding that we all bow before him. He tells us that we can no longer gather to peacefully protest, that we must give up our right to freedom of speech, that we mustn’t criticize him. We’ll, I, for one, think it is time to let our voices speak clearly…..it is time to speak in a loud voice…JUST SAY NO!!! NO to tRump, NO to his administration, NO to his MAGA agendy, and NO to any politician who supports him!
Rick Hughes says
RIGHT ON, Michael, thank you for your writing. I hope that people are instilled with a renewed sense of power after millions took to the streets for the NO KINGS rally, yesterday. I hope it builds and grows daily. I hope that the silent and complicit members of Congress will grow a pair, step out of the shadows and speak truth to power – in other words- do their jobs!
Brian J. Corden says
Thank you for this pithy synopsis. What is most worrisome for me is the almost daily videos of masked Gestapolike goons manhandling people who are either nonthreatening protestors (including a United States Senator) or unfortunate migrants. It is the first thing that comes to mind when someone suggests that Trump is doing good for the country.
This will not end well.