Secretary of Defense Hegseth says ‘nobody’s texting war plans’
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that “nobody’s texting war plans,” addressing the narrative around the leaked information.
Folks, it’s time to check in on the Republicans. They’ve had quite the challenging few months. It might sound strange to mention, considering they’re running the government and have been zealously dismantling any evidence of governmental assistance to the populace.
In fact, they’ve been dismantling actual lives too—both veterans and trans individuals. Oh wait, they’ve specifically targeted trans veterans. But I digress.
So why am I concerned about them? Because they still seem filled with anger and frustration, and it pains me to see it. They’re quite the angst-ridden group. Sure, it made sense to some extent in 2024 when they rode a wave of misinformation and fear back to the White House; the campaign season was understandably stressful for everyone involved.
Moreover, it must be exhausting to keep up with so much dishonesty and fear-mongering. It’s a burden I’d never want to impose on anyone. But why are they still so furious? They emerged victorious, didn’t they? They completely won in November.
They control Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court. All their political aspirations have come to fruition. So what’s next?
Trump and Republicans: Still angry despite ruling everything
I have some theories, and it boils down to the reality that governing and serving voters is tough. It really is, folks. There exists a wide array of laws and rules that my enlightened education has made me aware require a concept known as “checks and balances.”
The nuance and expertise that elected officials need to maneuver through these checks and balances are not as straightforward as former President Barack Obama made it appear. I understand that.
Therefore, instead of trimming down the government, firing personnel, altering elections, and dismantling federal departments through congressional action, Trump has opted to take matters into his own hands and resolve it later in the courts. This has resulted in unnecessary turmoil. Republicans don’t have to resort to deception to achieve their objectives; they can simply, you know, take action.
Yet, they are buckling under the burden of it, and Trump hasn’t even reached the 100-day mark in office yet.
Here’s a rundown of what has gone awry for the party that was supposedly capable of stabilizing a country that Democrats allowed to tumble off a cliff. MAGA may argue that Democrats are also facing disarray, which isn’t entirely wrong. But Democrats are not in power anymore, and Republicans still needed them to avert a shutdown.
Is that all of it? Probably not. If I’ve overlooked anything, do shout it out. But that’s an astonishing amount of chaos and political turmoil to enact swiftly.
And again, much of it is unnecessary. Several of these misguided actions could have been executed through Congress if its members had been willing to take any initiative.
If you enjoy witnessing the struggles of others, that list certainly belongs in the hall of fame for political destruction. However, if you’re searching for enduring achievements beyond hastily crafted executive orders swiftly overturned in court, you’re going to be looking for quite some time. Republicans are too preoccupied bickering about work rather than actually doing it.
Let’s try to lift the spirits of Republicans during these trying times
The reality is that polling indicates Republican voters remain supportive of Trump, despite their dissatisfaction with Musk. Sure, the general populace may desire Trump to exit, but he remains quite popular with his base. That’s a silver lining, right?
So why are Republicans so intent on causing as much damage as possible while playing the victim at every opportunity?
Trump can’t seem to stop complaining on Truth Social. House Speaker Mike Johnson held an outrageous news conference where he threatened to pursue judges. Has he contemplated urging Congress to legislate Trump’s MAGA agenda instead?
Republican Congress members seem to be avoiding interactions with voters. One in Arizona ensured that only registered Republicans could attend his town hall. What are you afraid of, my friend? The truth?
I feel compelled to offer some words of comfort to Republicans. Here it goes:
Yes, Trump is an abysmal president by all metrics we use. Yes, the Republican Congress is quickly becoming one of the most ineffective we’ve seen in recent political history. And sure, the economy isn’t performing well, and perhaps Trump won’t be able to “fix it” on Day 1 as he claimed. If anything, he’s making it worse.
But take note of all you have achieved in such a brief and destructive time. You’ve unveiled the duplicity of our political framework. You’ve swiftly established a model for how future presidents can govern without congressional interference. You’ve even pioneered a way for a billionaire to dismiss as many workers as possible for his own entertainment.
That’s something, right? So, chin up! You’re doing just fine.
Louie Villalobos is Gannett’s director of opinion. You can find him providing support to his Republican friends and family as they navigate their leadership role.
