Gasoline prices continue to rise precipitously. Food prices are rising, too, affected by the cost of transporting products to the grocery store (a container of store-brand cottage cheese at my local Giant cost 40 cents more this week than last).  Cuts to federal funding for health care are compelling rural hospitals to close, forcing patients to travel great distances both for emergency and general health needs. The White House continues to scramble for a way to end the war it declared on Iran, a war costing America taxpayers billions of dollars each week.  Allies in Europe and the Middle East watch with trepidation as America, once their most dependable supporter, devolves as Donald Trump tries to remake the world order to meet his own bizarre vision of “America First.”  We are living in a hallucination of Mr. Trump’s choosing, and it appears that no one in the White House has the courage to wake up and stand up to a manchild’s temper tantrums.

And what is Mr. Trump doing?  Anything to avoid tackling the very real challenges facing ordinary Americans. Anything to avoid more discussion of the Epstein files.  Anything gimmicky to distract and minimize the crisis facing our democracy. He ordered painting of the hallowed and historic Reflecting Pool at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial swimming pool blue and then drove down the almost half-mile-long empty pool in the 20,000-pound armored presidential limousine, and a motorcade of nine more heavy vehicles, just because he could.  Nearby, he wants to paint the noble and historic Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) bright white, asserting that the gray granite facade is dull and gloomy.  In earlier times, the building was called the “wedding cake” because of its fancy decorated facade.  A color-matched photo of the building in white does make it look like a wedding cake, something you’d visit in a Florida fantasy theme park, not in the Nation’s Capital.   

Hmm-m-m.  The Reflecting Pool blue.  The EEOB white. Is there a 250th anniversary theme here?  What will he paint red?  Maybe his nose – for the daily lies he tells a la Pinocchio.  Or the Pentagon, to represent the red ink of his and Secretary Hegseth’s Iran war, and the tangible sacrifices made by American troops and their families throughout history.  Or the Commerce Department, to commemorate the embarrassing gaffes made by Howard Lutnick, his Commerce Secretary, about nearly anything.  

Closing the Kennedy Center for supposed renovations.  Constructing a huge and completely inappropriate Arc de Trump adjacent to the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery.  Razing the historic East Wing for a 90,000-square foot ballroom at the White House.  Converting the public golf course at East Potomac Park into a private Trump-managed golf course.  Adding his signature to the Treasurer of the United States and the Secretary of the Treasury on U.S. currency.  Creating a new U.S. Passport with his picture on it in addition to the traveler’s photo.  Hanging stories’ high banners of his image on government buildings. It’s obvious that Mr. Trump’s focus is on himself, not on his job as president. Not on lowering prices.  Not on improving health care for millions of Americans.  Not on ending wars.  Not on mending fences with allies.  Not on ensuring that the United States is on a path to move forward and remain the world’s preeminent leader.  The U.S. Constitution outlines the role of President as Commander-in-Chief, appointer of ambassadors, judges of the Supreme Court, giver of pardons, and other duties.  It doesn’t include a designation as Builder-in-Chief but, since Mr. Trump famously doesn’t read much, it looks like he makes it up as he goes along, Constitution and law be damned!