Trump Follows His Painful Visit to Japan With an Embarrassing Trip to London
Donald Trump cannot be presidential even when representing our nation abroad. He is our not terribly precocious 12 year old, our wealthy bumpkin, swatting at every perceived slight, providing his uninformed opinions on matters far beyond his understanding.
His recent trip to Japan was excruciating to watch, but like a high school field trip for the President. Nothing of substance was accomplished, but the Japanese stroked his ego and he was treated to a Sumo Tournament. Trump returned the favor by undermining Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and dragging Japan into US politics.
CNN: "The President has a habit of ignoring the political and diplomatic sensitivities of his hosts during trips abroad. In Japan just last week, for instance, where he was greeted with supreme flattery and royal ceremony, the President indicated he wasn't much bothered by North Korea's missile tests. His comments did not take into account the fact that such behavior is viewed with alarm and a grave security threat by the government in Tokyo."
LA Times: "Later, in another tweet, Trump further entangled his Japanese hosts in American partisan politics, citing unnamed people to claim an improbable statement. “Numerous Japanese officials,” he wrote, had told him: “Democrats would rather see the United States fail than see me or the Republican Party succeed.”
No one is trying to identify these "numerous Japanese officials" because no one believes they exist, and that demonstrates how deeply Trump has demeaned the Presidency. The world simply assumes Trump will make up stories to burnish his image; they assume our leader is a liar willing to damage America's relationship with allies to make himself look good.
Add to that the White House's request that the Navy hide the destroyer USS John S McCain from Trump's sight during his visit to Japan and it's a wonder foreign leaders don't laugh in his face. He is a narcissistic buffoon.
Trump is now in London, but even before he arrived he managed to insult his hosts and interfere in their political affairs.
The Independent: "Mr Trump will arrive in the UK following a number of recent controversies. The Sun newspaper published an interview in which he called the Duchess of Sussex "nasty" – and, when the president denied doing so, published a recording that proved he had."
And, yesterday, he stopped just short of endorsing right wing Brexiteer Boris Johnson for Prime Minister.
Time: "The president’s intervention — before banqueting with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace — upends the usual diplomatic rules against commenting on allies’ internal political contests. It is potentially embarrassing for May for the president to be speculating in public about who will replace her just a few days before she welcomes him to London, where the pair will hold talks."
Today, Trump began his visit to London by attacking the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and CNN.
Washington Post: "But first, he called the London mayor a “stone cold loser” — and short. And Trump complained at length on Twitter about CNN news coverage of his trip."
Americans wouldn't be surprised that our President belittled a prominent foreign politician with a comment on their height. The rest of the world just sees him as a belligerent child.
London is bracing for multiple demonstrations in opposition to Trump's visit and his policies. And the giant inflatable Donald Trump baby float will fly over London tomorrow during his visit. Sadly appropriate.
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