Memorial Day, a day set aside by Americans for remembering and honoring people who have died while serving in the US armed forces, was marred by another shameful and unpatriotic performance by President Trump on the world stage. At a post-summit news conference in Japan, Trump publicly embraced our adversaries and ridiculed Americans, repeating his disastrous performance at last summer’s Helsinki summit. In this instance, he accepted and joined the criticism of Joe Biden by North Korea’s murderous dictator Kim Jong Un, and disparaged his predecessor, President Obama.
America’s international standing has eroded precipitously since Trump took office. His unskilled performances in the presence of seasoned world leaders, principally the result of his narrow historical perspective, leave little or no doubt that his personal insecurities play a role as well. Trump’s dismissal of Cabinet members and other advisers who refused to pander to his needs for constant validation, or to enable his embrace of “gut” governance over pragmatism, has led to a vacancy-riddled administration whose foreign policy is bereft of purpose.
Jim Paladino
Tampa
