Trump has shown us who he is many times, a person who lies and disrespects the rule of law

Editor:

This is a response to “Harris has a pattern of deflecting, not answering questions,” which was posted on Oct. 9.

I respectfully disagree with many of the statements made in the above-mentioned opinion piece, particularly the author’s assertion that Donald Trump “does not shy away from difficult issues.” I also disagree with the notion that Donald Trump has consistent and transparent policy visions and offer additional details (some opinionated) below which readers can evaluate for themselves.

Trump does not shy away from difficult issues:

• Donald Trump declined a second debate with Kamala Harris after his performance during their first. Recall this false and bizarre statement about Haitian immigrants: “They’re eating the dogs! They’re eating the cats! They’re eating the pets of the people that live there!” That is indeed a difficult assertion to defend.
• Donald Trump declined to participate in the exact same 60 Minutes interview that the author criticizes Kamala Harris’s attendance in.
• Donald Trump declined to testify during his civil defamation trial brought by E. Jean Carroll after stating to the press that he wanted to.
• Donald Trump declined to testify during his criminal trial brought by Alvin Bragg after stating to the press that he would.

He has made his vision very transparent.

Purging the USA of foreign gangs:

• Donald Trump’s plan for this is to sanction one day of extreme violence to deter future crime.

Stopping the gateway for fentanyl and other drugs:

• Donald Trump called on the Republican Party to vote down a bipartisan boarder bill so that he could continue to use the border crisis as a campaign issue. Sponsored by Republican Senator Chris Murphy, the bill was described by Greg Chen, senior director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, as ‘probably the most extensive border funding and security package that we’ve seen in decades’.

Creating citizen/work release for qualified immigrants:

• Donald Trump has a history of bad faith, cruel policies toward migrants and immigration. The previous Trump administration’s immigration policies lead to the separation of minors from their parents and relatives. Some families still have not been reunited.
• Donald Trump campaigned to end birthright citizenship.
• Donald Trump campaigned to deport Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio who are there legally.

Strengthening our military (See Promoting world peace below).

Supporting our veterans:

• Donald Trump mocked John McCain for being captured during combat.
• Donald Trump referred to fallen soldiers losers and suckers.
• Donald Trump refused to be photographed in the presence of military amputees because “it doesn’t look good for me.”
• Donald Trump dismissed head injuries sustained by soldiers during an Iranian missile strike as headaches.
• Donald Trump canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018 because it was raining.
• Donald Trump told former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, “I don’t get it. What was in it for them?” when visiting Arlington National Cemetery.

Developing energy independence:

• The United States achieved energy independence in 2019 and 2022 marked the highest level of US energy independence since before 1950. “Drill Baby Drill” is not a policy.

Promoting world peace:

• Donald Trump provoked North Korea by calling Kim Jong Un “Little Rocket Man” and threatened that they would be met with “Fire and Fury.”
• Donald Trump constantly criticizes and threatens to pull out of NATO which is the world’s strongest peace-keeping military alliance.
• Donald Trump claims he can negotiate the end of the war in Ukraine in 24 hours which is utterly and completely fantastical.
• Donald Trump stood next to Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland in 2018 and denied that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, disregarding overwhelming evidence to the contrary gathered by United States intelligence agencies.

Controlling inflation:

• Donald Trump plans to implement tariffs indiscriminately which economists predict will exacerbate inflation.
• Donald Trump’s administration added $7.8 trillion to the national debt during his administration. Not exactly a demonstration of fiscal responsibility.

The author’s article which I reference began with the following quote from Maya Angelou: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

On this, we agree. Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated his intellectual shortcomings, propensity for lying, and his contempt for the rule of law.

It is deeply regrettable that a reality show in the early 2000s was able to rehabilitate Donald Trump’s image after decades of business failures to one of a successful businessman and capable leader when this is objectively not true.

In reality, Donald Trump is a deeply flawed individual who suffers from malignant narcissism and is incapable of empathy or admission of any wrongdoing. He is not brilliant nor a “stable” genius. He is a failed businessman multiple times over who was lucky enough to have a wealthy father to bail him out of financial hardships of his own making time and time again.

Donald Trump eventually became an unlikely celebrity with his brazenness and shameless self-promotion. He remains a bizarre spectacle at his campaign rallies where his talking points are about past grievances, the “late, great Hannibal Lecter,” how he’d rather be electrocuted than eaten by sharks, and how “windmills” (he means wind turbines) cause cancer.

After watching coverage of these rallies, I fail to glean from them any modicum of a policy or vision for the future. Not only does Donald Trump fail the litmus test for competency and normalcy, let’s also not forget that he was impeached twice as president, was found liable twice for defamation and sexual assault, and is a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing and possible incarceration.

The electorate will decide in November if this conduct is befitting of one seeking the Presidency of the United States. My vote will reflect that it is not.

Adam Mark

Medina