Over the weekend, Republican Steve Schmidt, who ran John McCain's 2008 campaign for president, was interviewed on MSNBC.
In response to a very general question regarding the Trump Presidency, Mr. Schmidt spoke for two solid minutes and gave the most insightful and brutally honest response of what the Trump Presidency has done to our great country.
"Trump has been the worst president we have ever had. And, I don't say that hyperbolically. He is. But he is a consequential president. And, he has brought this country in three short years to a place of weakness that is simply unimaginable. If you were pondering where we are today from the day where Barack Obama left office. And, there were a lot of us on that day who were deeply skeptical and very worried about what a Trump presidency would be. But this is a moment of unparalleled national humiliation, of weakness."
"When you listen to the President, these are the musings of an imbecile. An idiot. And I don't use those words to name call. I use them because they are the precise words of the English language to describe his behavior. His comportment. His actions. We've never seen a level of incompetence, level of ineptitude so staggering on a daily basis by anybody in the history of the country who's ever been charged with substantial responsibilities."
"It's just astonishing that this man is president of the United States. The man, the con man, from New York City. Many bankruptcies, failed businesses, a reality show, that branded him as something that he never was. A successful businessman. Well, he's the President of the United States now, and the man who said he would make the country great again. And he's brought death, suffering, and economic collapse on truly an epic scale."
"And, let's be clear. This isn't happening in every country around the world. This place. Our place. Our home. Our country. The United States. We are the epicenter. We are the place where you're the most likely to die from this disease. We're the ones with the most shattered economy. And we are, because of the fool that sits in the Oval Office behind the Resolute Desk."
Looking back at this moment, Schmidt's raw indictment laid bare the profound erosion of governance and accountability under Trump's leadership. The consequences of treating the presidency as a platform for personal brand enrichment rather than public service left the nation fractured and exposed. By ignoring established institutional norms, dismissing scientific expertise during a crucial health crisis, and stoking partisan outrage, the administration alienated international allies and divided the American public. History will record this era as a stern warning about the immense risks of surrendering executive leadership to reckless incompetence.
Of all the crimes to be forgiven for ----------- seems very specific. Like as a favor someone needed a waiver.