Trump's crusade of retaliatory strikes against his perceived enemies has catapulted him into the realm of petty tyranny. The recent indictments of former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and former national security adviser John Bolton are nothing short of absurd, with charges that pale in comparison to the allegations Trump faced during his first term.
The sheer audacity of these moves is reminiscent of a supervillain's playbook. The indictment of Bolton, for instance, accuses him of crimes orders of magnitude less egregious than those leveled against Trump at Mar-a-Lago. James and Comey are facing minor infractions that, by comparison, seem almost trivial. It's as if the tables have been turned on Alvin Bragg, who successfully prosecuted Trump last year.
The fact that Trump is using the justice system to target his critics is not in itself a problem β it's when he does so with such zeal and abandon that it becomes a concern. His administration has been quietly stripping funding from projects in blue states like New York and California, which is an obvious attempt to torment Democrats as a group.
However, this level of pettiness requires more than just a passing grievance; it needs to be grounded in fact and morality. Trump's actions often fall short on both counts, relying instead on his own sense of injustice and a willingness to lash out at anyone who dares to disagree with him.
True pettiness involves refusing to turn the other cheek after being wronged, clinging to grudges long after the opponent has been defeated. It's about using the state's power to exact revenge, rather than seeking justice or resolution. Trump's approach is a perfect example of this: he rarely waits for his opponents to make the first move; instead, he launches counterattacks with reckless abandon.
What sets Trump apart from other presidents who have had tempers and grievances is his complete lack of shame when it comes to using the power of the presidency for petty revenge. He has no qualms about unleashing the full force of the state against those who disagree with him, turning even minor slights into matters of national importance.
In doing so, Trump has transformed criticism into a form of punishment, transforming critics into targets rather than engaging in constructive debate or discourse. The result is a toxic atmosphere that fosters division and resentment, where pettiness becomes a normalized way of addressing perceived slights.
The sheer audacity of these moves is reminiscent of a supervillain's playbook. The indictment of Bolton, for instance, accuses him of crimes orders of magnitude less egregious than those leveled against Trump at Mar-a-Lago. James and Comey are facing minor infractions that, by comparison, seem almost trivial. It's as if the tables have been turned on Alvin Bragg, who successfully prosecuted Trump last year.
The fact that Trump is using the justice system to target his critics is not in itself a problem β it's when he does so with such zeal and abandon that it becomes a concern. His administration has been quietly stripping funding from projects in blue states like New York and California, which is an obvious attempt to torment Democrats as a group.
However, this level of pettiness requires more than just a passing grievance; it needs to be grounded in fact and morality. Trump's actions often fall short on both counts, relying instead on his own sense of injustice and a willingness to lash out at anyone who dares to disagree with him.
True pettiness involves refusing to turn the other cheek after being wronged, clinging to grudges long after the opponent has been defeated. It's about using the state's power to exact revenge, rather than seeking justice or resolution. Trump's approach is a perfect example of this: he rarely waits for his opponents to make the first move; instead, he launches counterattacks with reckless abandon.
What sets Trump apart from other presidents who have had tempers and grievances is his complete lack of shame when it comes to using the power of the presidency for petty revenge. He has no qualms about unleashing the full force of the state against those who disagree with him, turning even minor slights into matters of national importance.
In doing so, Trump has transformed criticism into a form of punishment, transforming critics into targets rather than engaging in constructive debate or discourse. The result is a toxic atmosphere that fosters division and resentment, where pettiness becomes a normalized way of addressing perceived slights.