Take Your Daughter To Work Day#UnwantedIvanka pic.twitter.com/nnTzm0Pu51

— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) July 1, 2019

It’s hard to watch the Trump presidency — the definition of a kakistocracy (“government by the worst people”) — without anticipating its denouement, not so much as expectation but more so as wish.

What end would be most fitting, even if it might be unlikely?

Donald Trump’s message has been consistent: He can get away with anything. He gloats from the throne of his impunity.

The obvious correction of such disorder would involve the restoration of justice — a demonstration that he can’t get away with anything indefinitely.

But what form should such a demonstration take?

Impeachment? Criminal trial? Ruinous bankruptcy? In the dock at the ICC facing charges of crimes against humanity? Or, perhaps, simply exile?

Trump’s fundamental problem is one of entitlement combined with an insatiable craving for public recognition.

Given his office, he has received the constant attention to which he is addicted. Out of office, he will hopefully be overshadowed by a worthy replacement, but more than that, he deserves to become a media pariah.

That won’t deprive him of continued sycophantic support from Fox News, nor prevent him launching his own TV channel, but for the majority of Americans who get no satisfaction from Trump’s performances, he can effectively be pushed off the public stage. It all comes down to the choice of news editors, producers, and executives and a consensus that for the sake of America and the world, we’ve had enough Trump.

Meanwhile, like an intractable disease, Trump’s antics still mesmerize the press and Twitter.

David Smith writes:

Donald Trump has been accused of taking nepotism to alarming new depths after giving his daughter, Ivanka, a prominent role in meetings with the G20 and Kim Jong-un.

On Saturday, the French government released a video from the G20 summit in Osaka that showed Ivanka awkwardly interjecting with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister, Theresa May, Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau and IMF director Christine Lagarde, whose icy expression spoke volumes. During the summit, Ivanka was also included in photographs of a group of leaders.

A day later, Trump’s 37-year-old daughter became one of the few Americans to set foot inside North Korea as her father held nuclear talks with Kim in the demilitarised zone. The first daughter described the event as “surreal”.

Then, addressing US forces stationed in South Korea, Donald Trump invited Ivanka on stage and promised: “She’s going to steal the show.”

Such brazenly dynastic displays caused concern among foreign policy experts who, noting Ivanka’s complete lack of diplomatic experience or training, warned of lasting damage to America’s credibility.

Ned Price, former special assistant to Barack Obama for national security affairs, said: “It’s one thing for Trump to have his relatives around him in the White House as personal consigliere, especially if they do have the calming influence that’s been reported. But it’s quite another for his daughter to represent the United States of America in the presence of world leaders.

“It reflects poorly on Trump that he would place her in that context and poorly on Ivanka Trump that she lacks the self-awareness to recognise how out of her depth she is.”

Price, now director of policy and communications at National Security Action, a thinktank, added: “Above all it reflects poorly on the United States that we’re too often represented by unelected officials without any relevant qualifications.” [Continue reading…]