* A government shutdown? Here’s what Donald Trump said in 2013—during the Obama Administration: “A shutdown means the president is weak.” Now it’s just strategic leverage.
* Trump has slashed the National Security Council’s staff. No coincidence that Marco Rubio serves as both secretary of state and national security adviser.
* Trump lecture at the United Nations: “The UN has such tremendous potential. … But it’s not even coming close to living up to that potential.”
* Trump and SoD Hegseth summoned generals and admirals from around the world to Quantico, Virginia. The message was clear: Troops need to be deployed domestically to deter an “invasion from within” and that “woke” in the military was over and diversity wasn’t much of a priority. This comes from Commander-in-Chief Bonespurs and an arrogant defense secretary recruited from Fox News.
* The offensive secretary: “The ‘press’ does not run the Pentagon—the people do. The press is no longer allowed to roam the halls of a secure facility. Wear a badge and follow the rules—or go home.” That was Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. BTW, approximately 90 reporters are credentialed to cover the Pentagon. They never needed escorts before.
* Trump sent troops to Portland. The one in Oregon.
* This president has long used—not just abused—the media. Before reporters and commentators were his political targets of insult, they were his celebrity enablers. Here’s a take from Newsday columnist Jimmy Breslin from back in the ‘80s. “Trump bought reporters, from morning paper to nightly news, with two minutes of purring on the phone,” he wrote. “There are five stories in the morning papers leading into 11 minutes of television at night.”
* Trump recently gave Republican congressional leaders some brand-new merch: “Trump 2028” caps.
* In 1991, Trump “won” the Golden Raspberry Award as “Worst Supporting Actor” in the film “Ghosts Can’t Do It,” playing opposite Bo Derek.
* Trump appeared on David Letterman’s show more than 30 times over three decades.
* “Without pop culture, (Trump) would be one more New York rich kid who inherited his dad’s business.”—James Poniewozik, author of “Audience of One.”
* The proposed Trump Library in Miami: Giant TiVo, plenty of portraits, gilded touches, merch and copies of “The Art of the Deal”—but no Epstein files.
* Trump is an awkward embarrassment. Disney’s Hall of Presidents would agree.