Here is a (necessarily abbreviated) list of things about Trump that I think are essential context for any story about him. And not just fact-checks or think pieces! Because how can readers possibly be expected to understand what is going on otherwise?
- He lies all the time. See David Nakamura, Washington Post, ‘The story keeps changing’: Trump falsely asserts he never promised Mexico would directly pay for the border wall
- He has no idea what he’s talking about most of the time. See Matthew Iglesias, Vox, Trump’s Hannity interview reveals a president out of touch with reality
- He is acting out of a profound sense of personal terror – of Mueller, of Ann Coulter, of losing the Senate Republicans. See Eugene Robinson, Washington Post, Trump is terrified of the far-right echo chamber
- He is constantly projecting. See CNN, Trump says China is ‘more honorable than Chuck and Nancy‘
- There is no “White House”. See USA Today, U.S. starts withdrawing from Syria amid policy confusion
- He is only playing to his base, nobody and nothing else matters anymore. See CNN’s Fareed Zakaria explains why Trump’s border wall standoff is really about avoiding impeachment
- He is exploiting (and exposing!) how the U.S. presidency has too much unchecked power. See Washington Post editorial board, Congress gave the president too many powers. Now it must scale them back.