Trump Roulette
Published in La Repubblica
(Italy) on 9 April 2017
by Vittorio Zucconi (link to original)
(Italy) on 9 April 2017
by Vittorio Zucconi (link to original)
Translated from
by Andrew Robinson.
Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
Proud isolationist, avenger of the victims of despotic rulers or nuclear policeman? Indifferent to the drama around health insurance or in favor of health assistance? Every morning you wonder, what number will come up in the multiple personality lottery of the U.S. president?
I'm writing these lines on an Atlantic Coast evening, while President Trump sleeps in his house of cards at Mar-a-Lago, Florida. For a few hours — not many, as Donald will be sleeping restlessly and never wakes up later than 5 a.m. — we can relax. But soon, the ball will begin to spin round and round this man's mental roulette wheel of multiple personalities. We never know which number may come up; which Trump will wake up on Sunday.
Will it be the proud isolationist who never wanted to be "the president of the world," but only wanted to take care of America and let everyone else go screw themselves? Will it be the avenger of the victims of despotic rulers, like Syrian children? Will it be the nuclear policeman who sent a fleet to patrol the ocean waters off the coast of Korea, threatening another despot, Kim Jong Un, with military deterrents warning against any continuation of atomic and missile tests? Will it be the man who is indifferent to the drama surrounding national health insurance, ready to collapse the whole system of Obama’s health care law, as he snarled after the failure of his health care reform act? Or will it be the man who in years gone by had once agreed with the Canadian health care system, in fact, a national care system for all, in the manner of Europe, funded by taxes?
Which of his advisers — Priebus, the chief of staff, a product of the Republican political establishment; Bannon, a national ideologist and nutcase; Kushner the son-in-law; or Gen. McMaster — who all fight and respectfully hate one another, will lend their ear for a day, deciding impulsively and instinctively, never thinking about the consequences and the future, or of war and peace, as they have been doing from day one in the White House?
Even Trump’s supporters, at least those who don't drink the juice of propaganda offered each morning from his press office TV network, Fox News, are beginning to show signs of nervousness, with criticism breaking out, even from the right wing, over the torrent of cruise missiles against a Syrian air base.
Is there any method to his madness, or is Trump completely disconnected, changing mood, opinion and strategy as often as the weather changes in London? If you don't like your morning Trump, then just wait a few hours; before nightfall, he will have changed again.
How long can the world go on without exploding, seeing the White House turned into a casino, where Mr. President, the croupier, spins the ball while we powerless players wait with bated breath to see where it will stop? For now, round and round it goes for the next few hours, until tomorrow morning, in the game of "Trump Roulette."
I'm writing these lines on an Atlantic Coast evening, while President Trump sleeps in his house of cards at Mar-a-Lago, Florida. For a few hours — not many, as Donald will be sleeping restlessly and never wakes up later than 5 a.m. — we can relax. But soon, the ball will begin to spin round and round this man's mental roulette wheel of multiple personalities. We never know which number may come up; which Trump will wake up on Sunday.
Will it be the proud isolationist who never wanted to be "the president of the world," but only wanted to take care of America and let everyone else go screw themselves? Will it be the avenger of the victims of despotic rulers, like Syrian children? Will it be the nuclear policeman who sent a fleet to patrol the ocean waters off the coast of Korea, threatening another despot, Kim Jong Un, with military deterrents warning against any continuation of atomic and missile tests? Will it be the man who is indifferent to the drama surrounding national health insurance, ready to collapse the whole system of Obama’s health care law, as he snarled after the failure of his health care reform act? Or will it be the man who in years gone by had once agreed with the Canadian health care system, in fact, a national care system for all, in the manner of Europe, funded by taxes?
Which of his advisers — Priebus, the chief of staff, a product of the Republican political establishment; Bannon, a national ideologist and nutcase; Kushner the son-in-law; or Gen. McMaster — who all fight and respectfully hate one another, will lend their ear for a day, deciding impulsively and instinctively, never thinking about the consequences and the future, or of war and peace, as they have been doing from day one in the White House?
Even Trump’s supporters, at least those who don't drink the juice of propaganda offered each morning from his press office TV network, Fox News, are beginning to show signs of nervousness, with criticism breaking out, even from the right wing, over the torrent of cruise missiles against a Syrian air base.
Is there any method to his madness, or is Trump completely disconnected, changing mood, opinion and strategy as often as the weather changes in London? If you don't like your morning Trump, then just wait a few hours; before nightfall, he will have changed again.
How long can the world go on without exploding, seeing the White House turned into a casino, where Mr. President, the croupier, spins the ball while we powerless players wait with bated breath to see where it will stop? For now, round and round it goes for the next few hours, until tomorrow morning, in the game of "Trump Roulette."
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