Tom Nichols

Yeah, it's been about a month. I think we're in the lunar cycle of, you know, hanging together.

Yeah, it's been about a month. I think we're in the lunar cycle of, you know, hanging together.

Yeah, it's been about a month. I think we're in the lunar cycle of, you know, hanging together.

I guess it's become fashionable to say that you're completely surprised by the speed with which Trump moved. But I actually look at it from the other side. First, let me be optimistic. I actually think Trump and his people, once again, while they are aggressive and cruel, they're not competent, which is still working to the benefit of the United States and its people. Wow. Okay, fair enough.

I guess it's become fashionable to say that you're completely surprised by the speed with which Trump moved. But I actually look at it from the other side. First, let me be optimistic. I actually think Trump and his people, once again, while they are aggressive and cruel, they're not competent, which is still working to the benefit of the United States and its people. Wow. Okay, fair enough.

I guess it's become fashionable to say that you're completely surprised by the speed with which Trump moved. But I actually look at it from the other side. First, let me be optimistic. I actually think Trump and his people, once again, while they are aggressive and cruel, they're not competent, which is still working to the benefit of the United States and its people. Wow. Okay, fair enough.

Maybe not on the economic side, but we'll get to that. In terms of what he's up to between he and Elon Musk, this is not going so great. With that said, what's really dispirited me has been the kind of passivity

Maybe not on the economic side, but we'll get to that. In terms of what he's up to between he and Elon Musk, this is not going so great. With that said, what's really dispirited me has been the kind of passivity

Maybe not on the economic side, but we'll get to that. In terms of what he's up to between he and Elon Musk, this is not going so great. With that said, what's really dispirited me has been the kind of passivity

of millions of americans including you know at least some of the institutional democratic party but also a lot of other folks who are kind of you know feeling helpless now i know there have been big protests and people have been marching but i guess i am always stunned when trump does something staggeringly illegal i mean doge let's just doge itself for the past three months there is no such thing as doge they made it up it's not a thing

of millions of americans including you know at least some of the institutional democratic party but also a lot of other folks who are kind of you know feeling helpless now i know there have been big protests and people have been marching but i guess i am always stunned when trump does something staggeringly illegal i mean doge let's just doge itself for the past three months there is no such thing as doge they made it up it's not a thing

of millions of americans including you know at least some of the institutional democratic party but also a lot of other folks who are kind of you know feeling helpless now i know there have been big protests and people have been marching but i guess i am always stunned when trump does something staggeringly illegal i mean doge let's just doge itself for the past three months there is no such thing as doge they made it up it's not a thing

You know, and and yet, you know, news reports of, well, you know, the new Doge, a new Department of Government Efficiency. It's not stop talking about it as if it were, you know, passed with legislation and that it's a real thing with offices and letterhead and, you know, a cabinet department. It's not. I think that's been kind of a pebble in my shoe for the for the past three months.

You know, and and yet, you know, news reports of, well, you know, the new Doge, a new Department of Government Efficiency. It's not stop talking about it as if it were, you know, passed with legislation and that it's a real thing with offices and letterhead and, you know, a cabinet department. It's not. I think that's been kind of a pebble in my shoe for the for the past three months.

You know, and and yet, you know, news reports of, well, you know, the new Doge, a new Department of Government Efficiency. It's not stop talking about it as if it were, you know, passed with legislation and that it's a real thing with offices and letterhead and, you know, a cabinet department. It's not. I think that's been kind of a pebble in my shoe for the for the past three months.

I suppose I focus on that stuff because I don't want to focus on legislation. really what is probably the most important story, which is how quickly Trump has unwound America's position in the world. I mean, the stuff about tariffs and, you know, dollies and all that stuff, that's bad. And that will mostly affect us.

I suppose I focus on that stuff because I don't want to focus on legislation. really what is probably the most important story, which is how quickly Trump has unwound America's position in the world. I mean, the stuff about tariffs and, you know, dollies and all that stuff, that's bad. And that will mostly affect us.

I suppose I focus on that stuff because I don't want to focus on legislation. really what is probably the most important story, which is how quickly Trump has unwound America's position in the world. I mean, the stuff about tariffs and, you know, dollies and all that stuff, that's bad. And that will mostly affect us.

But to see, you know, 80 years of post-World War II construction of a world order that was created by the Americans, led by the United States, to the advantage of the United States of its allies, just come apart in a matter of you know, three months is really astonishing.

But to see, you know, 80 years of post-World War II construction of a world order that was created by the Americans, led by the United States, to the advantage of the United States of its allies, just come apart in a matter of you know, three months is really astonishing.