There is a plethora of intelligent commentary for the week that was Donald Trump: a period that saw the U.S. president turn on allies, embrace adversaries and vainly attempt to create a noble – and Nobel – legacy.
The trouble with such analysis is that it isn’t accessible to the great provocateur himself. Or to his followers. They prefer Trump’s efforts to saddle his challengers with descriptors that mirror his own actions. Calling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “dishonest and weak” for criticizing efforts to launch a trade war is only Trump’s most recent self-reflective barb; his minions saying “there is a special place in hell” for Trudeau and calling his comments a “betrayal” only strengthen the resolve of proud Canadians.
At the risk of sinking to his level, we present this commentary in uncompromising language Trump might just understand.
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Weak.
For a man with the strength and cunning to transform infantile name-calling into the U.S. presidency – all the while receiving fewer votes than his competitor – Donald Trump certainly has demonstrated academic weakness since taking control in the aptly named Oval Office.
Weak on history. Weak on math. Weak on language arts.
In fact, looking at his past few days on an international tear – tearing up the good faith long-shared by allied countries – the thin-skinned leader has shown himself to be weak on diplomacy, weak on trade and weak on negotiations. The art of the deal? Please.
The current U.S. president’s failure with allies is only trumped by his greater failure with longtime adversaries – giving North Korea’s formerly denigrated “little rocket man” added ‘face’ by granting a coveted meeting this week, and allowing Russia’s leader to hold sway in his nearly unrecognizable White House.
Fabricating so-called ‘facts’ and orchestrating divide-and-conquer tactics might strengthen his standing among his faithful, but will do little for his reputation as recorded by historians.
And, as he has shown by his efforts to rip up his predecessor’s legacy, any accomplishments Trump might actually achieve will be easily obliterated by his likely retaliatory successor – retaliatory, whatever the party.
Admittedly, his country’s employment statistics now show record highs. However, his failing scores on nearly every other topic – inflation, security, health, environment, morality… – ensure his legacy will go down as one of the least effective administrations ever.
Weak, Donald. Weak Donald. Weak.
