Category: Donald Trump

Iran and the bomb

In the greatest public address any American President has ever given, Donald Trump claimed to have stopped Iran from developing atomic bombs (in the greatest lie every told).

Here are the facts. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran at the time, supported the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that provided international inspection of Iran’s enrichment of uranium used for its nuclear power plants to ensure that it did not enrich it to the level needed for atomic bombs. Khamenei repeatedly stated that the production, stockpiling, and use of nuclear weapons are forbidden under Islamic law. This religious position is formalized as a fatwa (a legal ruling under Sharia), which the Iranian government has cited for decades as proof of the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.

During his first term, President Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA and international inspections stopped. A broad international consensus holds that the US/Israeli attacks on Iran this year will drive Iran to overcome its religious restraints on developing the bomb and proceed to do so out of its need to defend itself. Thus, rather than preventing Iran from developing atomic bombs Trump (and his friend Bibi) have probably forced Iran to do so. For good measure US/Israel killed Khamenei with an airstrike on February 28. Maybe Trump will find a way to blame NATO for all of this???

Winning the War in Iran

Most of you know that I am an optimist (though often disappointed). But I am quite optimistic that Trump will declare victory in his and Israel’s illegal war in Iran very soon. Moreover, he will offer Iran enough (lifting of sanctions, etc.) that they will end their attacks as well, including, of course, insuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Israel will also end its attacks on Iran (as well as on Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and Gaza) because Trump will tell them to (or is it the other way around).

But here is the really optimistic forecast. Trump will blame the mess in Iran on the worst, most damaging Secretary of Defense we have ever had and fire Pete Hegseth. How is that for good news!

My Blogs

From the time I could vote (1964) I have indevoured to evaluate each president’s policies on their merits (as seem by me of course). Thus, at one time or another I have praised or criticize policies of LBJ, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan (my favorite president), George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump. I often condemned a policy but not the President promoting it, in the belief that each President thought his policy was for the welfare of our country even if I disagreed. The exception is Donald Trump. 

Unique in my lifetime, we have a President whose primary interest is in seeing his name on things (Kennedy Center, Peace Institute, maybe Dulles Airport), filling the White House with gold to look like a palace, being praised by strong men (Putin, Orban, Mohammed bin Salman), dropping bombs where ever he chooses (having given up begging for the Nobel Peace Prize) and throwing his weight around (bullying), irrespective of the considerable damaging he is doing to our country. Now he wants his name on US currency (not to mention his likeness on gold coins).

Since 1861 the US treasurer’s signature has appeared on bank notes, along with the likeness of a deceased President.  In 1866, Congress passed what is commonly called the Thayer Amendment, which forbids the likeness of any living person from appearing on U.S. securities and currency. “Donald Trump is set to become the first sitting US president to have his signature on US banknotes, the treasury department has announced…. Trump’s signature will appear alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, an unprecedented move that the department said would mark America’s 250th anniversary…. The first $100 bills with the signatures of Trump and Bessent will be printed in June, with others to follow.  Notes currently being printed bear the signatures of former President Joe Biden’s Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, and Treasurer Lynn Malerba.” Just in case you didn’t know that we have a Treasurer in addition to the Secretary of the Treasury https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz0el909yp3o  

Trump is an egoist with the tastes and desires of a spoiled child. Unfortunately, as President of the United States his childish behavior is doing great damage to the U.S. and global order.

America Alone

Donald Trump campaigned on a pledge to end “forever wars” and to put American interests first. In office, he has done the opposite.

In the first year of his second term Trump has bombed seven countries and 50 speed boats killing 159 people. His joint war with Israel on Iran is threatening global recession. None of these were authorized by the American Congress as required by our Constitution and violate international law as well. He has threated one an all even more freely (e.g. Canada, Greenland).

If this were not bad enough, Trump has insulted and alienated our friends and allies resulting in the refusal of most EU and Nato countries (Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy) and Australia and Japan to agree to Trump’s plea for help in defending the Staits of Hormuz.

These measures have isolated and weakened the U.S.  Trump’s policies have not put America First–they have made a weakened America Alone.

Deploying his bully substitute for diplomacy, Trump, with help from JD Vance, Trump accused the EU of “extraterritorial censorship of Americans” through EU content‑moderation and hate‑speech rules. At the Munich Security Conference in February 2025, Vance warned that “across Europe, free speech…is in retreat,” This is from the same administration that repeatedly labeled critical media “fake news” and “the enemy of the people.” Currently he and senior officials have accused outlets critical of his Middle East war policy of undermining the country, with allies at the media regulator warning that broadcasters risked losing licenses if they spread “fake news.”

Condemning the opposition as enemies rather than challenging the policies of opponents is a sign of weakness and typical of tyrants. Trump attacks his domestic enemies as fiercely as foreign ones. Note the childish hate in Trump’s tweet today about the death of the man who investigated his misbehavior at the bottom of this blog:

The administration has backed or initiated high‑dollar defamation lawsuits against critical outlets (for example, a multibillion‑dollar suit against the Wall Street Journal). The Department of Justice has revived policies to subpoena reporters’ phone records to identify leakers, and Homeland Security officials have publicly boasted about catching sources for journalists—moves described by the Committee to Protect Journalists as “terrifying” and chilling to newsgathering.

The White House has at times revoked or restricted press credentials for reporters and outlets seen as adversarial, most famously CNN’s Jim Acosta. New, more restrictive rules for White House press passes have been criticized as targeting critical journalists and limiting independent coverage.

The unfunny clown who heads our Department of War has driving away most honest reporters by require department review of their prospective reports. A federal district court in Washington, D.C., just struck down key parts of the Pentagon’s new press-access and reporting restrictions. In a suit brought by The New York Times challenging the Defense Department’s 2025 press policy the judge ruled that the Pentagon’s policy limiting reporters’ access and conditioning accreditation on pledges not to gather or publish information without official approval violated the First Amendment and also raised due process concerns under the Fifth Amendment.

We have historically relied on the strength of our constitution and the separation of powers it establishes between the three major branches of government to contain abuses of government power. Generally, our institutions have served us well. But Trump has stretched executive power weakened its guardrails, for example by firing all Inspector Generals and failing to seek congressional support.

Trump and his repulsive advisor Stephen Miller’s immigration/deportation policies via the masked ICE agents who have killed two American citizens on public streets, have unleashed terror and abuse of power never seen in my life time. Last year 32 people died in ICE custody and in just the first weeks of 2026, at least 6 more people died in ICE detention.

The list goes on and on. From his reelection to his second term (2024) to early 2026, Trump’s estimated wealth has increased on the order of 2–4 billion dollars. Forbes reported his net worth at about 7.3 billion dollars by September 2025, calling it the most lucrative year of his career. In the realm of pure childish ego, he has added his name to the Kennedy Center now to be closed in two months, and the Institute of Peace, rebuilding the White House, and threatening to rename Dulles Airport. On top of that he wants his image on a gold coin. His administration proposing both a commemorative gold coin and a circulating $1 coin.

None of these are serving America’s interests.  Various indices of freedom/authoritarianism report a steep decline by the U.S.  Freedom House, which scores countries (0–100) on political rights and civil liberties and categorizes them as Free, Partly Free, or Not Free reports that the U.S. score is now at its lowest level since they adopted the 100‑point scale, while still rated “Free.”   The democracy watchdog, Martin Gelin reports that “Trump is aiming for dictatorship”. But we can still stop him if we wake up and yell STOP.

Not only Tariffs

Tariffs can serve the beneficial function of leveling the trading playing field when exports from, say China, have benefited from government subsidies. The world’s output and thus wealth is maximized when competitive trade (domestic and/or international) uses its labor and capital most efficiently. The rules of the World Trade Organization permit tariffs of this sort.

President Trump has taken a very different approach, which yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling against most of his tariffs has slowed. Trump, typical of his general bully approach to relationships, threatens or enacts tariffs totally unrelated to their proper purpose to make trade fairer. He uses them to gain concessions from other countries totally unrelated to economic efficiency. These, like his bullying more generally, are very damaging to American interests and well-being. As a private business man, his bullying approach resulted in six bankruptcies.

Rather the repeat the arguments I posted earlier I will direct you to some of my earlier comments and a few from others:

Tariffs
https://open.substack.com/pub/damonlinker/p/seven-observations-about-the-supreme?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Trump’s disregard of the law in the area of tariffs is not all we should be concerned with and push back against. In addition to his nasty treatment of our “Allias,” his corruption is shockingly extensive and very open as is his disregard for the law. Congress needs to wake up and do its job:

https://www.thefp.com/p/the-economy-can-survive-tariffs-not

https://open.substack.com/pub/persuasion1/p/a-blow-to-trumps-favorite-political?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

P.S. I have not mentioned his childish ego expressed by adding his name and face all over the place. It is merely embarrassing, which we can survive.

P.S.S I have also not mentioned Trump’s serious damage to our national security from his war and threatened wars not authorized by congress as required by the constitution (in search for the Nobel Peace Prize??!!)

Immigrants

I think that all illegal immigrants convicted of crimes in the US  should be deported. Those here illegally, often for decades, who have not been convicted of a crime should be given a path to citizenship as provided in the draft act that passed the US Senate in 2013 but died in the House. “Illegal aliens”.

With the horrible attack on American norms and laws perpetrated by ICE  “ICE and immigrants”, President Trump (the most corrupt, dishonest, law breaking, abuse of government powers to attack his “enemies,” President America has ever suffered) apparently has different ideas. Trump’s bullying and winner take all style has resulted in a 6% decline in tourism (one of our previously successful exports) in 2025 relative to 2024. This increased our trade deficit. Net immigration in 2025 fell dramatically to half the level of 2024, which hurting our economy.

The disgusting racism of his “policy” is best exposed by the statements of his evil Secretary of Homeland Security, who: “On Dec. 1, Noem shared on X this thought: “I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that’s been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies” who “slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON’T WANT THEM. NOT ONE.” “George Will on Kristin Noem”  

President Trump’s childish ego and bullying is inflicting great damage on my country. Hopefully the SCOTUS will declare his tariffs illegal SOON.  ICE must be made to abide by the law. Illegal immigrants convicted of crimes (other than their residence status) should be turned over to ICE when they are released from jail and ICE “officials” should get off the streets. But for God’s sake fire Noem immediately.

Trump’s Board of Pease and Founding Executive Board

Trump’s current Gaza “peace plan” presented last September combines a 20‑point ceasefire and demilitarization while promising large‑scale reconstruction and investment. The ceasefire starting October 10 and hostage return that “ended” Israel’s two-year attack on Gaza following Hama’s Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel, is to be followed by rebuilding the totally flattened Strip.

Hama’s Oct 7 attack killed 1,400 Israelis and Israel’s counterattack has killed over 72,000 Palestinians (over half of them women and children) with more yet to be counted under the rubble. Moreover, the attacks and blockage of food and medical supplies since the “ceasefire” starting October 10, have resulted in almost 500 more Palestinian deaths.

The next phase is the rebuilding of the buildings destroyed by Israel during its war on Hamas. For this purpose President Trump has created a Board of Peace. Wikipedia reports that: “Donald Trump is explicitly named in the Charter of the Board of Peace as its inaugural Chairman. The chairman has no term limit, and they alone have the authority to nominate their designated successor. Only the Chairman has the ability to invite countries to join the board. The Chairman has the exclusive authority to create, modify, or dissolve subsidiary entities of the Board of Peace. All revisions to the Charter and administrative directives issued by the Board of Peace are subject to approval by the Chairman.[1] Trump’s chairmanship of the Board of Peace is independent to him holding the presidency of the United States and he has indicated that he would like to remain chairman for life.” “Board of Peace”

“To operationalize the Board of Peace’s vision—under the chairmanship of President Donald J. Trump—a Founding Executive Board has been formed…. The appointed members are:

  • Secretary Marco Rubio
  • Steve Witkoff
  • Jared Kushner
  • Sir Tony Blair
  • Marc Rowan
  • Ajay Banga
  • Robert Gabriel”.

White House statement on President Trump’s comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict”

A long list of countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy and other European nations, were absent from the signing of the Board of Peace in Davos, and some have specifically rejected the invitation.  And why should they join an organization that puts Trump in charge of the world for life.

“His plan is to strip the United Nations – and thereby the international community – of any oversight of Gaza’s fate…. The US president hopes his “Board of Peace” will deliver the knockout blow, supplanting the UN and the system of international law it is there to uphold.” “Trump’s Board of Peace is the nail in the UN”

These concerns for the status of the UN are important, but I want to flag a different flaw in Trump’s “peace” plans having to do with its rebuilding.

“Jared Kushner on Thursday unveiled a sweeping U.S.-backed vision at Davos to rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip into a “New Gaza” economic hub by 2035,” “Jared Kushner unveils new Gaza”  These plans reflect the statements made by Trump one year ago in which he proposed that the United States should “own” the Gaza Strip, “level the site” (clear the ruins) and build resorts there, calling it “the Riviera of the Middle East.” Rights groups and major news outlets noted that behind these pledges to make Gaza a “Riviera of the Middle East” was a plan to permanently “empty” Gaza of its more than 2 million Palestinian residents and not allow them to return. Trump said Palestinians would be moved to neighboring states such as Jordan and Egypt, providing them with “much better housing” and a “beautiful location” elsewhere.

In a statement by Tony Blair: “For Gaza and its people, we want a Gaza which does not reconstruct Gaza as it was but as it could and should be.”

What is missing in these plans is recognition that Gaza is the home of and owned by two million Palestinians, who surely should have a say in its future.

“What is Israel’s objective in Gaza”

ICE and immigrants

Virginia’s new governor, Abigail Spanberger, has made a big mistake. One January 17, Governor Spanberger signed Executive Order 1, which rescinds a previous directive from former Governor Glenn Youngkin that had required state police and corrections agencies to cooperate with ICE. I assume that like me most American’s want better control over illegal immigration and some, like me, what more legal immigration.

Surely when illegal immigrants are caught and convicted of a crime, they should be deported. Such persons are generally held in American jails. Thus, the proper and most efficient way to deport them is for local officials to turn them over to ICE. Governor Spanberger has made Virginia a sanctuary state. While the overwhelming majority of illegal immigrants have not committed any crimes other than overstaying their visas, President Trump even in his first term was determined to deport them, presumable at the urging of the immigrant hater Steven Miller.

As an aside, recently deceased CATO Vice President David Boaz’s husband was also named Stephen Miller and depending on which one we were referring to we said, “the good Stephen Miller” or “the bad Stephen Miller.” Even though first term Trump didn’t resort to masked ICE agents grabbing foreign looking people off the street, his push to deport illegals was very disruptive. “Illegal aliens”

We need to take a another shot at passing immigration reform legislation identical or similar to the 2013 legislation that passed the Senate but not the House. In the meantime, the masked ICE agents should be limited to deporting illegal immigrants who have been properly convicted of crimes. Their current behavior is disgusting and turning good hearted American’s off (that excludes the Bad Stephen Miller, of course) on the whole effort. This includes arresting reporters and American citizens in complete violation of our principles and laws. The Justice Department should take time off from prosecuting Trump’s critics and prosecute these ICE crimes (including murder). Trump seems to be reducing illegal immigration by making America as unattractive as possible, hardly making America great again.

The list of ICE misbehavior is long and growing: “Minnesota immigration detained US citizen”

But the attack on our values runs deeper than just violating our laws as explained in an article by Radley Balko:

“The lies this administration is telling about Ms. Good aren’t those you deploy as part of a cover-up. They’re those you use when you want to show you can get away with anything. They’re a projection of power….

“It’s one thing to tank or slow-walk an investigation. It’s quite another to publicly declare that no investigation will happen on any level and then announce that you’ll be investigating the victim’s partner and supporters instead. Both paths are unethical and corrupt. Undermining an investigation at least pays lip service to the idea of accountability and public trust. The administration’s actions in Ms. Good’s case are a declaration that there will be no accountability and that it would prefer to instill fear rather than trust.”

Sanctuary cities and states should cooperate with Immigration officials by handing over illegal immigrants who have been convicted of crimes and Congress should get serious about passing sensible legislation. “Immigrants from hell”  “We need comprehensive immigration reform now” In the mean time ICE should take off their masks and get off the street.

Venezuela

The only time I have been to Venezuela was in 1981 with Friedrick Hayek to speak at some conference. At that time it had the highest per capita income in south America ($4,951 in 2024 dollars). Today (i.e. 2024) it has dropped to 11th place with a per capita income of $4,218, while Uruguay has risen to $23,089. How and why did this happen?

Venezuela become an independent country in 1830 and a democracy since 1958. But with the election of the socialist Hugo Chávez in 1998 Venezuela’s economy turned South. He oversaw the adoption of a new constitution and the “socialization” of the economy.  Chávez was reelected three more times before dying in office of cancer. He was succeeded by Nicolás Maduro. Their governments were characterized by hyperinflation, famine, disease, and crime, which lead to massive emigration from the country (roughly 8 million).

Maduro’s reelection May 20, 2018 was disputed by his opposition. After being sworn in for a second term on January 10, 2010, the Organization of American States approved a resolution in which Maduro was declared illegitimate as President of Venezuela, urging that new elections be held. On January 19, 2019, the president of the National Assembly, Juan Gerardo Antonio Guaidó, was declared the interim president by that body. Guaidó was immediately recognized as the legitimate president by several nations, including the United States. President Trump threatened to remove Maduro.

President Trump falsely claimed that Maduro was responsible for large illegal drug shipments to the US (very little of which came from Venezuela) and prepared to remove him, offering him safety outside Venezuela. However, the Trump administration’s bombing of speed boats it claims were carrying drugs to the U.S. and its attack on Caracas and kidnapping of its President were illegal in the U.S. and internationally and bad for America. “war” “The military operation, undertaken without UN Security Council authorization, without congressional authorization, without a claim of self-defense, and without even a plausible legal rationale, represents the most harmful attack yet on the rules-based order.” Foreign Affairs: The World Without Rules”

In a recent interview about the U.S. operation to seize Nicolás Maduro and “run” Venezuela, Trump was asked if there were any limits on his power; he replied: “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.”  In the same exchange, he added that he does not “need international law,” signaling that he does not view international legal rules as binding limits on his use of military or coercive power abroad. If you love America, this much concern you.

The adherence to acceptable norms of behavior– the rule of law at home and abroad– is an incredibly important contributor to our well-being. Weakening or destroying it is bad for the U.S. and the world. Trump’s threats to expand the US invasions to Cuba, Panama, Mexico, Iran, and Greenland further damaged America’s image and cooperation of previously friendly countries. “A world in which the powerful no longer feel the need to justify themselves is not merely unjust. It is barbaric: operations to kill, steal, and destroy are severed from any claim of right. That world does not have a legal order at all. It has only force, guided by one man’s whims.”  Ibid. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned us that we are in the midst of a “breakdown of values” that is turning the world “into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want” 

While Maduro’s kidnaping was impressively well planned and executed, it’s unclear what is planned for the day after.  U.S. experiences with the follow ups to our attacks on Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq were not good.

In Iraq, a hard to understand invasion based on lies, the ruling Coalition Provisional Authority, led by the U.S., removed not just Iraq’s leadership but a very large part of its bureaucracy including disbanding the Army (who were then going to do what??) with disastrous results. I describe my experiences there in: “Iraq-An American Tragedy-My Travels to Baghdad”  

In Venezuela the Trump Administration has left the Maduro government in place allowing Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to assume the Presidency, the opposite of our earlier approaches after our invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. This decision seems to have been based on consideration of the options: an evaluation that Ms. Rodriguez, while an important member of the Maduro government, is widely respected and pragmatic, and that the U.S. via its oil sanctions has considerable leverage without the need for boots on the ground. “Rajan Menon: here’s what Trump really wants”

At the White House press conference following the very well planned and execute attack on Caracos, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described America’s strategy for the period ahead: “Step one is the stabilization of the country. We don’t want it descending into chaos. Part of that stabilization, and the reason why we understand and believe that we have the strongest leverage possible is our quarantine. We are going to take between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil. That money will then be handled in such a way that benefits the Venezuelan people, not corruption, not the regime.

“The second phase will be a phase that we call recovery, and that is ensuring that American, Western, and other companies have access to the Venezuela market in a way that’s fair.  Also, at the same time, we begin to create the process of reconciliation nationally within Venezuela so that the opposition forces can be amnestied and released from prisons or brought back to the country and begin to rebuild civil society. And then the third phase, of course, will be one of transition.”

Friday Trump summonsed the main US oil producers’ leaders to seek their agreement to move back into Venezuela’s oil fields. When ExxonMobil’s chief executive Darren Woods said that Venezuela was currently uninvertible, Trump, in typical bully style, stated on Airforce One that: “I didn’t like Exxon’s response. I’ll probably be inclined to keep Exxon out. I didn’t like their response.”  “Trump threatens to block ExxonMobil in Venezuela”  He declared that he would make all the decisions. Putin couldn’t have said it better.

Rather than accepting Vice President Rodriguez becoming President and seeming to toss aside the legitimately elected President Juan Gerardo Antonio Guaidó, why didn’t we convene discussions with all of the relevant parties in Venezuela (Guaidó, Rodriguez, key generals, members of Parliament, etc.), and include in the dialog the relevant members of the US Congress and key allies—especially Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, EU and agree on a path back to democracy and prosperity.  Unfortunately, the DOGE chainsaw has eliminated many of the US DOS officials with knowledge and expertise on Venezuela as well as US experts capable of helping to implement the resulting plan (e.g., “USAID”).

The attack on Venezuela can’t be undone. Unfortunately, we already sold out the Venezuelan opposition, fired all our Venezuela experts and staff capable of negotiating and executing the day after, irretrievably alienated all the allies whose support we need (and even threatened them with attack as well!). The prospects for restoring a successful and peaceful democracy to Venezuela are challenging to say the least.  The U.S. is in a much weaker position that we were a year ago. “Fukuyama: The problem with America’s Venezuela policy”

War

Only the US Congress can authorize war. President Trump, who pays little attention to the law, has ordered an attack on Venezuela anyway. The US has kidnapped Venezuela’s President and his wife, who Trump says are on a US Navy ship on its way to New York. This hardly looks like the promised end of “forever wars.” At Trump’s press conference today, he bragged of a number of other illegal US bombings around the world during his “rule”. In addition, he told so many lies, that it is surely a record. The greatest lier of all times, as he might say.

Trump announced that the US will continue to remain and run the country for a while. As our occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq has clearly demonstrated, we are bad at running other countries’ we occupy. I have put my own experience in Iraq in a book I urge you to read: “Iraq: An American Tragedy-My Travels to Baghdad”

The list of Trump’s disregards for the law continues to grow as does the price America will pay. “The rule of law” The constitution provides only one remedy for such a lawless President. It’s time to apply it.