The Trump Presidency is different than any previous presidential administrations, particularly his second occupation of the White House. Instead of considering what is best for the nation in both foreign and domestic policies, the main driver of his orders and behavior is doing what is best for Trump, his family and friends. This may not be true in every instance, but is certainly valid in a number of major initiatives.
For example, in foreign policy, there are some bizarre moves that stand out. An admirer and sycophant of Trump’s, Jair Bolsonaro, from a right-wing party and a former military officer, was president of Brazil from 2019 t0 2023. He was then defeated in a fair election by Lula Da Silva in 2022 from the left. Subsequently, Bolsonaro tried to overturn his election loss with various measures including riots and pressuring military officers, claiming that the election was rigged. (Sound familiar) His efforts were unsuccessful and in September of this year, the Brazilian Supreme Court found him guilty on several charges including mounting a coup attempt, and he was sentenced to 27 years in prison. Bolsonaro and his family and followers then asked Trump to intervene to negate his prison term. Trump sanctioned the Brazilian Supreme Court in response and asked for Bolsonaro’s prison term to be annulled. When this did not happen, Trump slapped 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods coming to the United States, a move that will both hurt Brazilian businesses and US consumers. Trump’s blatant interference in the affairs of a sovereign foreign nation was purely done for private reasons, as Trump saw Bolsonaro in a similar light to himself. Trump did not care about the negative effect this would have on Americans in terms of higher prices for products like orange juice, coffee, beef, iron, steel and industrial products.
Another example of Trump’s private desires taking prominence over good policy is his bolstering of Argentina’s financial situation. The President of Argentina, Javier Milei, is another sycophant who kisses Trump’s behind and laud’s him constantly. Argentina’s finances are in deep trouble and Trump is going to extend a $20 billion bailout for Milei and his nation. Possibly even more. It is unclear how this fits with Trump’s supposed America First policy, but it does go well with Trump’s “Trump First” policy. Trump seems to have forgotten that America has $36 trillion in debt and needs funding badly. America is in no position to be lending billions of dollars to Trump friendly nations.
Trump runs his domestic policies the same way as his foreign policies, taking advantage of his position to help his friends and get revenge on his enemies. He has already pardoned all the January 6th felons who invaded the Capitol and a number of individuals convicted of financial fraud and other crimes similar to his own. Now he has launched a personal vendetta against those he perceives as his enemies, using the Justice Department to go after people like John Bolton, Letitia James, James Comey, and so forth. This is being done purely for revenge as there are no serious legal cases that would warrant indictment against these people except Trump’s animosity. Trump is using the presidency for what he views as his own good instead of for the American people. America first is b.s. It’s “Trump First.”
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Political junkie, Vietnam vet, neurologist- three books on aging and dementia. Book on health care reform in 2009- Shock Therapy for the American Health Care System. Book on the need for a centrist third party- Resurrecting Democracy- A Citizen’s Call for a Centrist Third Party published in 2011. Aging Wisely, published in August 2014 by Rowman and Littlefield. Latest book- The Uninformed Voter published May 2020