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President Trump hasn’t had a great week. I don’t think anyone can argue with that.
The man who has so utterly dominated the Republican Party has been forced to backtrack or reverse himself, in part because of on-the-record outrage by GOP lawmakers.
That involved his plan to create a $1.8-billion “anti-weaponization” fund, with most of it going to Jan. 6 rioters, who he calls patriots. The idea of rewarding people who attacked police officers, took over members’ quarters and chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” touched a very deep nerve (among the public as well).
When leaders of his own party, who usually roll over and play dead, started denouncing what some of them called a slush fund, Trump knew he had a loser on his hands and yesterday tried to cut his losses: He has officially killed the funding scheme.
This, of course, grew out of his suit against the IRS, where Trump was definitely wronged by the leaking of his tax returns, but as president was “negotiating” with his subordinates.
Then there are the courts, where even the Supreme Court has not escaped Trump’s wrath on decisions he dislikes, such as striking down his unilateral global tariffs. He called out justices by name, branding them “fools and lapdogs,” a “disgrace” and an “embarrassment.”
Which brings us to the Kennedy Center fiasco.
A federal judge ordered that Trump’s name be removed from the glittering marble portico overlooking the Potomac River that had just been the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The judge temporarily blocked the two-year shutdown planned to begin this summer.
The president posted that unless he was in charge, he had “no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey,” suggesting he would turn it over to Congress.
“Unfortunately, Judge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of, much as I have done, in many cases, throughout my life,” he wrote.
Judge Christopher Cooper, setting a two-week deadline, said Trump’s renaming violated a 1964 law that made it “crystal clear” the institution was to be named for the assassinated president and that only Congress can change it.
I happen to think the center could remain open while partial refurbishing takes place, but of course no shows are booked at the moment.
The larger pattern is that many judges no longer trust the administration’s lawyers.
“Their missteps in court come as the department’s leadership takes an unusually combative tone with judges who rule against them,” The New York Times says.
A Trump Justice Department spokesperson said: “Any attack on the professionalism or integrity of DOJ attorneys is outrageous and unjustified.”
Finally, there is the court of public opinion for Trump, who turns 80 next month.
A lot of folks are upset about the design of the $250 bill featuring Trump’s visage. I don’t worry about that because I don’t plan on buying anything with a $250 note, but it hasn’t gone down well.
I don’t believe many people are wild about the surprise demolition of the East Wing, plans for a 250-foot arch, or the obsession with building a White House ballroom. That was originally going to be paid for by private donations, but now Congress wants to appropriate $1 billion in taxpayer dollars — kind of bait and switch.
The Iran War, whose settlement “talks” have been blown up by mutual attacks, is increasingly unpopular. A PBS/Marist poll last month found that 60 percent of those questioned disapprove of the war and overall are frustrated by soaring food and gas costs.
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As for the July 4 celebration, so many musicians, including Milli Vanilli, Flo Rida and Young MC, dropped out that the president canceled the concert and will turn it into a MAGA rally featuring … him.
Look, Donald Trump has always been at the center of his own narrative. He’s a born performer, dating back to “The Apprentice” days.
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I’ve interviewed Trump numerous times, and he can sit for an hour and rattle off answers on a vast array of subjects, including stuff from 40 years ago. So any talk that he’s on the verge of dementia is utter BS by uninformed critics. But he does seem less sure-footed right now.
Physically, the worst you can say about Trump is that he’s got swollen ankles and sometimes closes his eyes in meetings.
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Trump is full speed ahead — that’s what he knows. Where he comes off as angry and overheated is in the barrage of late-night and early-morning Truth Social posts in which he rails against his opponents.
Hey, you don’t really expect an 80-year-old man to change, do you?