America is now seeing the destructive consequences of twice electing a spoiled brat

America has a spoiled brat for a president, not a grown man. I think that's a reasonable conclusion. Tariffs have been a nightmare for the country. Not only have they done great harm, they are a form of theft, as the Supreme Court ruled them illegal. Yet when asked for his message on the economy, what does Donald Trump say? "Tariffs have been incredible."

This isn't just a lie. It's the delusion of a prepubescent boy who wants everyone to play along – or face his wrath. And when I say "everyone," I mean a clear and overwhelming majority. The last time Trump's approval rating was at parity was on March 11, 2025, according to the Times. Since April 1 of that year, the day the tariff regime began, it's been underwater. Per the Times, his approval stands at 38 percent today. (The AP puts it at a stunning 33 percent.)

What does he say to people who hate illegal taxes, who hate paying higher prices as a result of those illegal taxes, and who constitute a clear and overwhelming majority that is going to act with prejudice against his party in the coming midterms? "Tariffs have been incredible."

The consequences of a spoiled-brat president are far-reaching, however. They touch even his own people when they are caught between the truth and his fantasies. Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, was supposed to punish a scapegoat for the administration's screwed-up renovation of the Lincoln Memorial's Reflecting Pool. She thought she found one when she accused David Hearn, a former Olympian, of vandalism.

But then she dropped all charges Friday. A court filing said that "the peeling of the liner was the result of a botched installation by a contractor rushing to finish the project ahead of celebrations to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary," according to the Post. Pirro blamed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for lying to her. Then Burgum, knowing which story President Brat prefers, lied again, saying it wasn't a botched installation. It was vandalism.

In turn, Trump said Pirro – a former Fox personality who humiliates herself regularly in shows of loyalty to the president – "choked" and "folded like an umbrella," even though the charges against Hearn had no basis in the real world. The only world that matters is his, and while everyone wonders whether Pirro will have a job by week's end, he reminds us that he's the sole arbiter of reality, and if you don't like it, tough. "I’m the president and you’re not."

Having a spoiled brat for a president will yield many outcomes, some predictable, as when he betrays bootlickers, others less so, as when he accuses blue cities and blues states of being "really the threat to the country." He's already denying disaster relief to states run by Democrats, which is illegal in its own right. What would he do in the event of a September 11-type strike on American soil? Iran reportedly launched a cyber-attack on water systems in Minnesota and six other states. The commander-in-chief did not, however, blame Iran, a country against which he is already at war. He blamed Minnesota, claiming it attacked itself. "You know who's behind it?" Trump said. "Minnesota, because they're grossly incompetent."

Who's going to tell a presidential brat otherwise when telling him is so costly?

Trump's politics are often called authoritarian, but given all of the above, I think that might give him and his cabinet members too much dignity. To illustrate further, let me direct your attention to comments made by a man who is giving dietary advice to "the most powerful men in America" who are, according to the Times, "eating only steak and sauerkraut." Sean O’Mara called such a diet "eating healthy" and the thing about it, he told reporter Willy Staley, is that "you don’t need toilet paper." Staley: "He described a proper bowel movement to me this way: odorless, wipe-free, over in three to seven seconds and 'nearly orgasmic.'"

You could say authoritarians want to be God so badly that they won't stoop to the condition of mere mortals in order to wipe their own butts. Or you can say they are spoiled brats who get mad at the idea of grown ups warning them of the consequences of their petulance. In any case, it's fair to say that nothing says “prepubescent politics" like a Trump dietitian bragging to a reporter from an elite newspaper that his clients' bowel movements are “nearly orgasmic.” They do what they want, for reasons they invent, even if the result is they stink.

It's settled in Michigan

The AP reported this morning that Haley Stevens called Abdul El-Sayed to concede her defeat in the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan. The "insurgent former public health official," as the AP called him, harnessed "frustration with the party establishment" to narrowly defeat the US congresswoman. El-Sayed is considered a progressive while Stevens is considered more moderate. His win will be interpreted as a blow to mainstream Democrats. All will likely be forgiven, however, if he defeats the Republican nominee, Mike Rogers. El-Sayed didn't waste time. His speech today was a first strike. Aaron Rupar put together an edited version. Of note is his outreach to Jewish voters. That's going to be very important from now on, as will signs that he's making inroads with Black Michiganders. He has the juice. That much is clear. But a Democrat can't win without the full Black support.

Finally, while I have your attention ...

I have been asking the Editorial Board's chief illustrator to come up with new material and last week she came through with a banger. The axolotl is a rare species of salamander found mostly in Mexico. Climate change is its biggest threat. Kids of her generation love the axolotl in ways that suggest their anxiety over climate change.

Long-time subscribers have seen ER Stoehr grow in her drawings. Her illustration of dancing pickles was very popular! I think it's important to show that this newsletter isn't a corporate product made with AI slop. It's made by people for the people in trying to make a difference in the world while raising a family and living our values.

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Thank you! –JS