Donald Trump has a whole new problem
Donald Trump acts like he is driving a car the wrong way down the street, wreaking havoc while trying to avoid accountability for his actions. Consider, for example, Trump’s maniacally reckless troop withdrawal from the Turkey-Syria border. Such “great and unmatched wisdom” blindsided his own government, left Kurd allies vulnerable, empowered ISIS, and signaled to the world that the United States is not the loyal or level-headed friend that we have long prided ourselves to be.
While Trump continues speeding in the wrong direction figuratively, he also happens to be now thrust in the middle of a delicate situation in which an American citizen abroad has done this literally and with tragic results. Not surprisingly, Trump is managing to screw this up as well.
On August 27, Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a U.S. diplomat, admitted to driving her SUV on the wrong side of the street in Northamptonshire, England, killing 19-year-old motorcyclist Harry Dunn. Sacoolas, whose name was kept secret until this week, quietly returned to the United States under a claim of diplomatic immunity, after telling police she would stay. Her silence has left Dunn’s parents confused and devastated as they try to move on with their lives, wondering “whether she’s remorseful.” They have been pleading with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Trump to do something that would allow them at least to meet Sacoolas in the hope of bringing closure to this incident that has “broken our family.”
Trump addressed the situation at a news conference yesterday, but he only made things worse. After grunting “I hate the case!” “Terrible accident!” “Very, very complex issue!” and “Quite a subject!” Trump cracked a smile and admitted that he has made the same “opposite roads” mistake as Sacoolas but with better luck: “I won’t say it ever happened to me, but it did.” Trump then appeared to offer hope to the Dunns, stating that “we’re going to speak to her and see what we can come up with so that there can be some healing.” But, more than just seeming to be a vague promise from someone with zero credibility, Trump’s comment runs counter to “secret” briefing notes (as captured by a Washington Post photographer) that instructed him to assert that Sacoolas will not return to the United Kingdom.
Not only can Trump not be trusted, but he is doing his damnedest to make sure the world believes that the United States cannot be trusted either. Since Trump took the oath of office in January 2017, many of his babysitters have tried in vain to steer this destructive toddler away from dangerous, oncoming traffic. But as long as Trump’s tiny hands are on the wheel of our government, there’s no telling what might happen next. It is time for our nation to say goodbye to this underage, overrated driver. America must jump out of Trump’s clown car before it all goes up in smoke.
Ron Leshnower is a lawyer and the author of several books, including President Trump’s Month