Carl P. Leubsdorf’s recent column said it quite well (“Trump embarrasses U.S.,” The Columbian, March 1). Far from deserving an apology from President Zelenskyy, Donald Trump and JD Vance’s performance at the recent press event intended to highlight a Ukrainian “deal” was beyond embarrassing. It telegraphs to the world that Trump is (still) a Putin sympathizer — and will trash Ukraine and our European allies in favor of Russia and mineral rights.
He is empowering Elon Musk to dismantle our government. He is threatening militarily strategic partners in Panama and Greenland. He is shuttering the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force and cutting positions at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency that help to assure our election integrity and combat Russian (and other) cyberattacks.
He is removing senior members of the military, the Department of Justice and the FBI and replacing them with loyalists who will do his bidding. He has issued executive orders to take over independent federal agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Elections Commission. He is pushing the SAVE Act in Congress to further restrict voting rights.
Given the warnings about Project 2025, no one — especially complicit Republicans — can act surprised. This is a hostile takeover attempt they are not fighting.
