GOP strategist: Trump’s bizarre rant after plane crash is a troubling sign | Opinion
On Jan. 28, 1986, President Ronald Reagan addressed a grieving nation after the tragic explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. His remarks were brief, his tone somber yet hopeful. In that moment of sorrow, he reminded Americans of their resilience and the greatness and triumph of the American spirit.
Thirty-nine years later, another tragedy unfolded in the skies when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet near Reagan Airport, killing 67 people. This time, the message from the president of the United States was starkly different.
Rather than consoling the nation and reassuring fears, President Donald Trump used his time to go on a bizarre rant about how diversity initiatives implemented by Joe Biden may have caused the collision. Trump replaced compassion with conspiracy, empathy with blame and stoked fears about airline safety.
I’d like to say Trump failed his first real test as president, but the truth is, his press conference likely went exactly as he intended.
Exploiting a national tragedy is nothing new. What sets Trump apart is his brazen and crude use of every opportunity for political gain. He shows little interest in being a consoler-in-chief, preferring to stoke conflict rather than foster unity and empathy.
To be clear, I believe DEI has been a deeply flawed policy and should be abolished. At the core of America’s values is the principle that hard work and playing by the rules should lead to success. We should be a nation built on merit, and hiring decisions, especially in fields where safety is paramount, should be based on talent and ability. That said, there is currently zero evidence that the Federal Aviation Administration’s DEI policies had anything to do with this tragedy. The DEI claim is nothing more than a red herring designed to create a political boogeyman.
Trump needs a villain — an adversary or conflict he can use to grab headlines, deflect blame or distract the American public. His time on television made him acutely aware of the power of a compelling narrative. Like a reality show, his presidency relies on tension, heroes and villains, always ensuring the spotlight remains firmly on him.
We saw this earlier in the week when Trump attempted to halt trillions of dollars in federal payments. Undoubtedly, some of those payments should never have been appropriated. Waste, fraud, and abuse are rampant in Washington. But Trump’s actions only created chaos and confusion and appear to be more about generating headlines than fixing the problem.
The same might be said for immigration. While securing the border is vital to America’s security and legislation like the Laken Riley Act is just common sense, they do little to address the millions of undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States. Deporting violent criminals is essential for public safety, but mass deportations are neither practical nor realistic. Having Dr. Phil on ICE raids only reinforces the idea that, for Trump, generating headlines matters more than real solutions.
I’m starting to get concerned that much of what we see from Trump is more spectacle than substance — smoke and mirrors rather than making America great. Trump appears to be transforming the presidency into a made-for-TV production, where success is measured by headlines rather than the lives he improves.
It’s extremely disappointing. With Republican majorities in both chambers and one term remaining, Trump has a unique chance to do something historic. Trump may be the one politician who possesses both the political leverage and the political hutzpah to finally tackle some of America’s greatest challenges: the $36 trillion national debt, social security insolvency or decades of failed immigration policies. With real leadership, Trump could drive lasting change and secure a stronger future for the nation.
Instead, Trump spends his time looking for political villains — the courts, Biden, or the legacy media. That won’t accomplish much for the American people. But it does make for good television.