When the Trump New Lows Tracker was inaugurated on August 13, I thought that a few weeks might pass before there would an occasion to issue the next Bulletin. But, no; I had again underestimated the capacity of our president to shatter norms of practice, decency and, potentially, the law. Now, however, there has been a gusher of candidates for the designation of New Low. The current round of New Lows are broadly linked by the president’s thirst for autocracy and his messianic self-image. The latter was neatly captured when, discussing his trade war with China, he cast his eyes skyward and proclaimed himself “the chosen one.”
No. 2. Causing Israel to Ban Congresswomen. On August 15, only two days after Bulletin No.1, Israel bowed to intense pressure from Trump and barred a previously scheduled trip to Israel by two Democratic congresswomen — Representatives Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota — who are both Muslim and who have both been critical of Israel. As the New York Times pointed out:
Mr. Trump crossed a line that other presidents have not, in effect exporting his partisan battles beyond the country’s borders. And he demonstrated the lengths that he will go to to target his domestic opponents, in this case two of the congresswomen of color he has sought to make the face of the Democratic Party heading into his re-election campaign.
I do not agree with the views of the congresswomen in supporting a boycott or other sanctions against Israel; indeed, I may well not agree with them about anything. But Trump’s act of petty vindictiveness, and Israel’s accession to it, brought profound discredit to both countries.
No.3. Offering to Purchase Greenland and Picking a Fight with Denmark. There may arguably be some plausible reasons why an acquisition of Greenland might be in the interest of the United States. Such an investment was apparently of genuine interest to the Truman administration. On the other hand, Greenland would have been a conspicuously awkward fit under the presidency of Donald Trump. Although a territory of Denmark, Greenland is largely autonomous and has a highly socialized economy. Moreover, nearly 90% of the population consists of indigenous people, the Geenlandic Inuit, not the kind of demographic with which Trump is comfortable.
In any case, assuming some possible merit to the Greenland notion, the only sane method of proceeding would have been to explore the idea quietly with Denmark to see if there was any interest, just as the Truman Administration had done. (Trump claimed in his customary disregard for the truth, “President Truman said, ‘What about Greenland?’ And he talked about it very openly and it was a big deal at the time.” In fact, as the Washington Post pointed out,“Truman’s 1946 offer to Denmark, $100 million in gold, didn’t become public knowledge until 1991, when a Copenhagen newspaper came across declassified documents in the National Archives.”)
Had Trump explored the matter quietly, he would have discovered, as Truman had, that the Danes were not interested, and that would have been the end of it. But that is not the Trump way. He insisted on airing the proposal publicly, leaving the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Fredriksen, no choice but to reject it publicly. Trump’s initial response was almost gracious. Although he petulantly canceled a planned trip to Denmark, he tweeted almost sweetly on Tuesday, August 20:
The Prime Minister was able to save a great deal of expense and effort for both the United States and Denmark by being so direct. I thank her for that and look forward to rescheduling sometime in the future!
By the following day, however, Trump discovered, seemingly for the first time, that Prime Minister Fredriksen had allowed in an interview the previous Sunday in Greenland that the idea of a sale was “absurd.” This propelled Trump to heights of dudgeon from which he hurled a tweet calling the Prime Minister’s comment “nasty.” And thus the President climaxed an unpleasant and wholly unnecessary tiff with a loyal and valued ally in NATO and otherwise.
The State Department describes Denmark as “a center for U.S. agencies and the private sector dealing with the Nordic/Baltic region” because of the country’s strategic position at the entrance to the Baltic Sea. As an ally, Denmark supported the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and a small contingent of Danes remains in Kabul nearly 18 years later. Denmark also provides more than $100 million on average annually to build Afghanistan’s security forces. Our relationship with Denmark will doubtless survive Trump’s inept handling of Greenland incident, but it is another milestone in the annals of the self-inflicted wounds that cause leaders around the world to shake their heads in puzzlement and dismay.
No. 4.Trump Questions Loyalty of Jews. Not content to joust with a NATO ally, Trump simultaneously turned his fire to targets closer to home. On Tuesday the 20th, referring again to Representatives Omar and Tlaib, Trump said “I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.” The following day he doubled down, saying at the White House, “If you want to vote Democrat, you are being very disloyal to Jewish people and very disloyal to Israel.” While Trump was accusing Jews who vote Democratic of being disloyal to Israel, and not to the United States or himself, many observers quickly pointed out that questioning the “loyalty” of Jews in any context was a staple of anti-Semitism with long and toxic history going back to the Middle Ages.
Senator Chuck Schumer spoke for many when he wrote on Twitter:
To my fellow American Jews, particularly those who support @realDonaldTrump: When he uses a trope that’s been used against the Jewish people for centuries with dire consequences, he is encouraging — wittingly or unwittingly — anti-Semites throughout the country and world. Enough.
No. 5. The Autocrat and the China Trade Debacle. As Trump pursues his feckless trade war with China, the damage to the American economy–some already sustained, much more on the horizon–has become increasingly apparent. And while there is much that Trump is not alert to, threats to his re-election are not among them. Even with a strong economy he will be vulnerable and with a weak one he will be toast. Hence, as he flails about in search of a solution, his autocratic impulses are given ever freer rein.
One such impulse is reflected in his escalating battle with the Federal Reserve, an institution whose independence from political control has long been a cornerstone of the American economy. The independence of the Fed, however, is a concept that is difficult or impossible for an autocratic president to grasp or accept. In Trump’s eyes, or at least in his mouth, the American economy right now is just wonderful, never better but, to make things even better, the Federal Reserve should lower interest rates from their already low level. Translation: Trump understands, or has been convinced by his advisers, that trade war damage lies ahead, but he hopes that another interest rate cut might soften the impact; alternatively, if the Fed fails to act, its inaction could make it a convenient scapegoat.
Many past presidents have disagreed with Fed policies or actions at one time of another but, prior to Trump, all have respected the Fed’s independence and declined to take on it or its Chairman in public battle. Trump, however, has been engaged for weeks is an embarrassing campaign of Twitter disparagement against the Fed and its Chairman, Jay Powell (a Trump appointee). This campaign apparently reached its apex on Friday when Trump posted the appalling tweet “My only question is, who is our bigger enemy, Jay Powell or Chairman Xi?” The only effect that his reckless comment might have would be to impair public confidence in the Fed, and such confidence will be an essential resource when the next economic crisis arrives.
Trump was not done. Not content with Fed-bashing, the Autocrat-in-Chief turned to American business and industry tweeting:
Our great American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start looking for an alternative to China, including bringing our companies HOME and making your products in the USA.
Despite the “hereby ordered” language, Trump’s imperious tweet had no immediate legal effect, and many observers doubted that he has authority to issue any such order. Others, considering the terms of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, have been inclined to say “Well, maybe.” However that turns out, if an order is actually issued and is litigated, there is no question that, as the New York Times put it, Trump’s action “represented the latest audacious assertion of power by a president who has repeatedly crossed lines his predecessors did not.” It may, of course, be all bluff and bluster, as many of Trump’s past pronouncements have been. Then again, it may not, and if not, the damage to our economy and the global economy will be significant. In either case, Trump’s tweet deserves recognition as another New Low.
If Trump was truly “the chosen one,” selected by some Divine Power, perhaps we could ask that Power if we couldn’t have a Mulligan.
So much to choose from, one hardly knows where to start. But the corker has to be Trump’s declaration he is the chosen one. The last time we heard that was from Bush 43, and we saw how well that turned out. Barbara Bush reportedly was appalled and dumbfounded. Trump’s assault on his own Fed Chmn is interesting. Apparently he has forgotten he appointed him and any criticism reflects upon his judgement, but never mind the obvious. The debacle with Tlaib and Omar is unforgivable but not unbelievable. And then there is Greenland. I was in the Tidewater area of VA this past weekend and met a charming couple from Denmark. I asked them when they were going to sell us Greenland. They just laughed indulgently. I think Roger Stetter is right; the Europeans will forgive us electing Trump but not re-electing him.
Again, thank you, Doug. A couple of notes, however:
Re. Greenland – His Majesty’s stated motive for this proposal was the presence of high-value mineral reserves. The obvious conundrum here, of course, is that access to these is encumbered by thousands of feet of ice which – although melting at alarming rates – would still take many years, perhaps decades to open to exploitation. And, by that time all that ice (and that of the entire Arctic region) has disappeared our global water levels will have risen to flood all of our littoral regions, many of which are heavily populated. But, of course, DT never thinks beyond the nose on his face.
Next point: “The only effect that his reckless comment might have would be to impair public confidence in the Fed…” I should hope that by now the only public confidence impaired by his recklessness would be his own. Alas, the ‘Always-and-Only Trump’ myrmidons – Congressional and others – are beyond such intelligence.
Finally, he should be careful who he intimates he is chosen by: Satan has favorites in this world, too.
Doug: The poor man or woman who follows DT in the presidency will have the distasteful duty to embark upon a real “apology tour”. He or she will spend most of the first term apologizing to: NATO, African people and African nations, Central Americans and Central American Nations, The Fed, Americans of Color, American Women, Angela Merkel, American Jews, American Judges, Newsmen, etc. etc.
Absolutely brilliant. Given enough rope, Trump will hang himself. Or so it would seem. Problem: many ignorant and prejudiced people like the little Mussolini.
Solution: a widely popular and very knowledgable opposition candidate. I believe a Warren-Biden ticket would win. But she must tone down her left-wing populist rhetoric. Universal health care and access to higher education for all Americans are worthy goals. But they cannot happen without an overhaul of our tax system, preservation of private insurance (including labor/management plans), and charty-begins-at-home priories (brains not bombs). The winners must also counter Trump-driven xenophobia by proposing a sensible immigration policy that is both welcoming and fair.
Please keep up your “New Lows” series. It is superb.
Is there enough rope, Roger? lol
Trump did have quite a week, and the rapid fire succession of new lows could not have been better stated and discussed than they have been above. Interesting that the week began with his declaration that he is ” the chosen one”, a comment he later said was meant as a joke, but, of course, no one seems to be laughing, and the sad aspect is that he acts as if he really believes it’s true, running roughshod over informed advice, constitutional imperatives, and highly negative likely consequences. His gut instincts and biases, regardless of what he has said, do not know more than everyone else. As the G-7 meeting began as the week ended, we can only wait with concerned anticipation as to what new lows he may descend to in the coming week, and unfortunately take the current credibility and respectability of our government with him.
Hi Bill. I’ve been in Europe for several weeks. My sense is that most people over here think Trump is a joke but do not hold that against Americans generally. That being said, were he elected to a second term (by hook or by crook), we would be held in low esteem.
Best wishes.
Thanks, Roger. Some semblance of credibility and respect for the US can I’m sure be restored. The resilience of our system is being severely tested right now, but great to see a lot of hearty effort being placed into returning our nation to representing values and policies deserving of respect. Hope we all can succeed in the endeavor. “Let the good times roll”, as they say in a favorite city down south, once again….
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