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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMaddowBlog-President Bystander: Trump appears out of the loop in his own White House
Confronted with key questions about life-or-death issues, the president is offering the public a lot of shrugged shoulders and blank stares.
https://bsky.app/profile/trending.bscope.app/post/3llexq2c4mw2m
Link to tweet
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/president-bystander-trump-appears-loop-white-house-rcna198357
Donald Trump appeared unaware on Wednesday that four U.S. soldiers had gone missing during a NATO training exercise in Lithuania. When asked by a reporter if he had been briefed on the situation that began to unfurl hours before, the president replied, “No, I haven’t.”
He didn’t elaborate. In fact, the president simply moved on to another question.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4llrhdclvdlmmynkwsmg5tdc/post/3llcri5hhvg2b
Link to tweet
......Taken together, it’s difficult not to wonder just how out of the loop the president is in his own White House.
Five years ago this month, as the severity of the pandemic came into focus, The New York Times published a memorable analysis that included a word to describe Trump that stood out for me as significant: “bystander.”
“While he presents himself as the nation’s commanding figure, Mr. Trump has essentially become a bystander as school superintendents, sports commissioners, college presidents, governors and business owners across the country take it upon themselves to shut down much of American life without clear guidance from the president,” the Times explained.
A half-decade later, it appears President Bystander has returned. Trump has taken a keen interest in playing golf, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, banning paper straws, watching an enormous amount of television and helping steer the Kennedy Center — but on life-or-death issues, he’s offering the public a lot of shrugged shoulders and blank stares.
For a president who’s heavily invested in the idea that his immediate predecessor had no idea what was going on around him, Trump’s apparent cluelessness should be a serious problem.

Captain Zero
(7,776 posts)administration.
It is Sort of Politburo style too as when the old Soviet Union would be transitioning between 'leaders'.
Lovie777
(17,576 posts)even worse now.
allegorical oracle
(4,432 posts)fervor to get elected. That's why he has been a bystander after winning, and a furiously vindictive maniac when he was rejected in 2020.
Rebl2
(15,972 posts)in name only. Other people are running the government and doing a horrific job.
617Blue
(1,800 posts)Jrose
(1,426 posts)DJT desperately needed to get elected to avoid prison and get immunity.
Musk, with the expertise of his computer hackers and vote buyers, got him in and, in turn, won the driver's seat.
LetMyPeopleVote
(160,683 posts)Link to tweet
Cha
(309,096 posts)kacekwl
(8,116 posts)had sat there saying I don't know anything about this military operation or the fact it was leaked by your hand picked staff. Or no I have not been briefed about the death of 4 military members. Or any of the swill that fell out his mouth he'd be removed within the hour. Makes me ill.