Donald Trump said what?
Last week was a showstopper for people like me who voted for Donald Trump twice and support his policies but often flinch at his braggadocio and overall demeanor.
In the middle of the night, Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were brutally slain by their troubled son, a tragedy that resonated with fans of the actor/director, and with families dealing with psychiatric or drug problems, and with decent human beings.
And then came the reaction of our president — a mid-morning tweet on his site, Truth Social. It seemed Donald Trump took the news as an opportunity to “pay back” a political enemy, accusing him of Trump Derangement Syndrome and suggesting the couple’s deaths were brought on by Reiner’s personal TDS.
Reiner was a liberal Democrat who palled around with the like-minded, raised money for Democratic candidates, and had a well-known animosity for Trump. However, does it justify Trump ranting about their history at the time of Reiner’s gruesome death? It transcends politics, or should.
I was shocked by the president’s tasteless and very inappropriate remarks. “Unbelievable” was my immediate reaction. It’s worth noting that the now infamous tweet was not some middle of the night anomaly, since the president doubled down in the Oval Office later that day. Again, unbelievable.
Many of those who reacted to the post spoke in line with their own feelings about the president; some hardliners thought it was deserved. Columnists and editorialists, however, had a field day, accusing Trump of ruthlessness and a “lust for vengeance.” Others simply expressed “disappointment.”
Trump’s fight-back strategy turns up the volume in an already nasty political environment and detracts from any of the administration’s accomplishments. His unedited tweets are personal vents that have no place on the presidential agenda. Hopefully, Trump’s advisors can convince him to stop tweeting in the middle of the night like he’s a college kid with no friends.
The latest diatribe against Reiner was not the first time Trump made coarse comments, attacking and deriding opponents’ mannerisms and perceived shortcomings. He never hesitates to criticize the media or insult a specific reporter or a former president. Trump also painted third-world countries with a broad brush, calling them “sh–holes” and their immigrants “garbage.”
On the other hand, Trump has been a punching bag since 2016 for partisan Democrats, the Left, and TDS sufferers. They’ve likened him to Hitler as well as other dictators and demagogues. Democratic attorneys took him to court more than once in an attempt to bankrupt him or put him in jail, which is the rationale Trump defenders use to downplay the latest offensive tweet.
We know Trump has been attacked by Reiner in the past. Politically, they were poles apart, but in the case of the victims’ horrific end, one would think a person with an ounce of empathy would take a deep breath and end the fight. That would be my advice.
The way we conduct ourselves warrants serious discussion. We need to be reminded that we live in a civilized society with timeless values that include respect for each other, politeness, peaceful conflict resolution, accountability, and fairness. And empathy. Maybe we have gone off-track, or our political leaders have. Today’s political world is rife with incivility and the fear of speaking truth to power, getting isolated, or losing a job. Does anyone want to argue with, advise, or criticize Trump?
Perhaps Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy said it best: “A wise man was silent. Why? Because he is a wise man. Trump should have said nothing.”
I believe the president hurt himself and the Republican Party and provided more fodder for the upcoming important 2026 campaigns, which will, again, be focused on the man who’s not on the ballot – Trump.
Pat Wandling hosts Speak Your Piece weekdays at noon on WBCB 1490.
