Another Lesson in Understanding Trump

Here’s an exchange between Trump and a reporter that illustrates what a terrible person–and even worse leader–our president is.

NBC News reporter Peter Alexander: “What do you say to millions of Americans who are scared?”

OK, play a little game here and guess what Trump replied.  What would you say if you were the leader of 330 million Americans whose feelings about the virus range between “concerned” to “terrified?”

How about: “They have every right to be scared.  This is an unprecedented event, and no one, not even our top scientists, know precisely how this will turn out.  All I can say is this: a) don’t panic, b) obey the instructions you’re receiving as to how to minimize the spreading of the virus, and c) take care of one another.  Do everything you can to ensure that old people and parents of very young children receive priority access to needed materials and treatment.  We can get through this as one nation, working as a team of compassionate individuals.

In fact, if I were the president in this situation, I’d be grateful that Peter Alexander, a senior White House correspondent, had tossed me such a softball.  There is no intention to attack the president, or cause him to become defensive. On the contrary, it was an opportunity to hit one out of the park, and look like a wise and decent person.

OK, here’s Trump’s response:  “I’d say that you’re a terrible reporter. That’s what I’d say. I think it’s a very nasty question and I think it’s a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the American people.”

In truth, Trump cannot help himself; he is powerless to respond in any other way, because he views every event through the lens of self-aggrandizement (if it’s good), or self-defense (if it’s bad). It’s binary, it’s immediate, and it’s automatic.

There are people who can’t see this, tens of millions of them in fact; Trump maintains a support base that believes he is an honorable human being and an effective president.  That’s like standing outdoors on a cloudless afternoon and not being able to see the sun in the sky.

Terrible person, even worse leader.