How Trump’s Four Ugly Words Reveal the Worst Is Yet to Come; The Daily Beast, November 22, 2025

David Rothkopf, The Daily Beast; How Trump’s Four Ugly Words Reveal the Worst Is Yet to Come

"On Tuesday, Trump welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to his gold-plated throne room in the White House, as part of two days of high profile activities in Washington. When ABC News’ Mary Bruce asked Trump about Salman’s responsibility for the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, the president publicly insulted her, too. And then, he went further. “You’re mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman you’re talking about. Whether you like him, or didn’t like him, things happen,” Trump said. “But (the Crown Prince) knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that.”

Rather than defending a U.S. resident brutally hacked to death by thugs, Trump chose—in a moment that was as revealing as it was revolting—to attack the man who was murdered, protect the alleged murderer and, as he has done before, accept the word of an autocrat over the findings of the U.S. intelligence community.

Yet again, Trump is demonstrating that as long as he is president, any pretext that U.S. policy is grounded in morality, fundamental values or the law is out the window. The “things happen” ease with which he rationalizes actions and events that would be objectionable or even intolerable to any ethical leader may be characterized as the one overarching precept of his presidency–what we might call the ‘Trump Doctrine.’...

“Quiet, Piggy!” and “Things happen” are a distillation of Trump to his very essence. One manifests his vileness and contempt for women. The latter reflects his dangerous immorality...

We have all seen the damage those fantasies have done thus far. With warnings like this past week suggesting that greater danger lies ahead, we need to brace for worse to come. And those in the Congress, the courts, throughout the government and across society who are in a position to help contain the worst impulses of the man that the worst person in the world actually thought was even worse than him, will need to prepare to so and do so with unwavering resolve."

Analysis: Trump’s anti-press outburst hits differently with a Saudi prince by his side; CNN, November 18, 2025

Brian Stelter, CNN ; Analysis: Trump’s anti-press outburst hits differently with a Saudi prince by his side

"President Trump frequently demonstrates his disdain for journalists. He expresses his admiration for authoritarians almost as often.

Tuesday showed how intertwined those two instincts really are...

According to Reporters Without Borders, which tracks press freedom all around the world, “independent media are non-existent in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi journalists live under heavy surveillance, even when abroad.”"

Trump Told a Woman, ‘Quiet, Piggy,’ When She Asked Him About Epstein; The Atlantic, November 18, 2025

Isabel Fattal, The Atlantic ; Trump Told a Woman, ‘Quiet, Piggy,’ When She Asked Him About Epstein

"“Keep your voice down.”

“That’s enough of you.”

“Be nice; don’t be threatening.”

“There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.”

“Quiet, piggy.”

This is a sampling of what the president of the United States has said to and about female journalists during his time in office—and most recently to Catherine Lucey, a White House correspondent for Bloomberg. On Friday on Air Force One, Lucey asked Donald Trump about the Epstein files. He answered her first question, but when she followed up, the president bent his head down and pointed his finger, the way you might chastise a screaming child or shoo a stray cat. “Quiet. Quiet, piggy,” he said.

Lucey had clearly touched a nerve. Two days later, Trump announced that he would endorse the House’s vote on the release of the Epstein files, likely because he knew that the House had the numbers to do so and would go forth with or without his support. But this category of remark is part of a long-running pattern for the president: Trump’s time in American politics has been marked by repeated attempts to insult and demean female journalists."

'Quiet, piggy': Trump responds to reporter after Epstein question; BBC, November 18, 2025

BBC; 'Quiet, piggy': Trump responds to reporter after Epstein question

"When speaking to reporters on board Air Force One on 14 November, President Donald Trump was asked about recently released emails from Jeffrey Epstein which mentioned him.

Trump said he knew nothing about that and said the focus should be on other people named in those emails, including former President Bill Clinton.

After a journalist from Bloomberg News tried to ask a follow-up question on Epstein, the president turned to her and said: "Quiet. Quiet, piggy.""

Pope Leo Doesn’t Want to Be the Anti-Trump. But He Is.; The New York Times, November 16, 2025

DAVID FRENCH, The New York Times; Pope Leo Doesn’t Want to Be the Anti-Trump. But He Is.

"Serving the most marginalized is fundamental to the Christian faith. By one count, more than 2,000 scriptural passages mandate or endorse service to the poor and the work of justice.

In May, just after the pope’s election, I wrote that the most important American in the world was no longer named Donald Trump. The president has less than four years left at the center of the international stage. The pope will present a global moral witness for years to come, and it’s a moral witness that is fundamentally incompatible with the cruelty and corruption of Trumpism.

If you examine the new pope’s pronouncements, there is a consistent through line. He defends human dignity and condemns government brutality. In addition to his defense of the human rights of migrants, he’s decried Russian abuses in Ukraine, and he’s called for a cease-fire, hostage release and compliance with international humanitarian law in Gaza.

His concern for human dignity extends to the world of technology and commerce as well. On Nov. 7, for example, he posted on social media: “Technological innovation can be a form of participation in the divine act of creation. It carries an ethical and spiritual weight, for every design choice expresses a vision of humanity. The Church therefore calls all builders of #AI to cultivate moral discernment as a fundamental part of their work—to develop systems that reflect justice, solidarity, and a genuine reverence for life.”

The pope’s comment drew an immediate rebuke from Marc Andreessen, a venture capitalist and Trump supporter, who posted (and then deleted) a meme mocking the pope’s statement.

Each of the pope’s statements is part of a consistent ethic of life. I love the Catholic writer Mark Shea’s description of what this ethic means — that “all human beings, without any exception whatsoever, are made in the image and likeness of God and that Jesus Christ died for all human beings, without any exception whatsoever. Therefore each human person — without any exception whatsoever — is sacred and is the only creature that God wills for its own sake.”"

Trump Says Critical Coverage of Him Is ‘Really Illegal’; The New York Times, September 19, 2025

Luke Broadwater, The New York Times; Trump Says Critical Coverage of Him Is ‘Really Illegal’

[Kip Currier: The most objective (and nicest) way to respond to Trump's assertion that critical reporting on him is "really illegal" is that it is legally incorrect and factually untrue. Whether Trump is regrettably misinformed in stating this falsehood or intentionally uttering this inaccuracy is less material than the fact that he is objectively wrong.

There are countries where it is illegal to say critical things about heads of nations: Russia. China. North Korea. Iran. Saudi Arabia. Turkey. Thailand. Others. Indeed, criticizing the head of state will likely get one defenestrated (as tragically happens all too often in Russia), killed in other ways, tortured, jailed, or disappeared.

Fortunately, it is not (yet) illegal to say negative things about U.S. Presidents at present. And it never has been, since the founding of the country in 1776 when the monarchical dictates of England's King George III were soundly declined by the American colonists. The t-shirt below proudly (and wholly truthfully) proclaims that historical truth that occurred in America 249 years ago:

[Excerpt]

"President Trump said Friday that news reporters who cover his administration negatively have broken the law, a significant broadening of his attacks on journalists and their First Amendment right to critique the government.

A day after asserting that broadcasters should potentially lose their licenses over negative news coverage of him, Mr. Trump escalated his condemnations of the press, suggesting reporters were lawbreakers.

“They’ll take a great story and they’ll make it bad,” he said, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office. “See, I think that’s really illegal.”

Mr. Trump did not cite a specific law he said he believed had been violated. It remained unclear Friday why Mr. Trump believed negative news coverage, which every president has faced and is protected by the Constitution, would be “really illegal.” The White House did not respond to a request for comment Friday evening."

Trump Snaps at Ted Cruz’s Shock Warning About Free Speech; The Daily Beast, September 19, 2025

Farrah Tomazin, The Daily Beast; Trump Snaps at Ted Cruz’s Shock Warning About Free Speech

[Kip Currier: The President of the United States takes the oath of office to defend the Constitution of the United States.

Does the individual quoted below -- in his own verbatim words -- sound like someone who understands the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution?]

[Excerpt]

"But speaking in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon, Trump described Carr as “an incredible American patriot” who had shown courage for taking on broadcast networks that criticized him. 

“I disagree with Ted Cruz,” he told reporters.

“I think Brendan Carr doesn’t like to see the airwaves be used illegally and incorrectly, and purposely horribly.

“He doesn’t like to see a person that won the election in a landslide get 97% bad publicity before the election.

“(The networks) have to show honesty and integrity... When they take a great success, like you often do, and you make it into like it’s a loser, or you put a negative spin on it, I don’t think that’s right. So I think Brendan Carr is a great American.”

Jon Stewart Goes Full State TV to Nail Trump on Kimmel; The Daily Beast, September 19, 2025

Matt Wilstein  , The Daily Beast; Jon Stewart Goes Full State TV to Nail Trump on Kimmel

"Jon Stewart showed the world what it would be like if Donald Trump got his wish to remake all media in his image Thursday night with a 23-minute satirical rebranding of The Daily Show as full-on state TV. 

In a last-minute return to the desk outside of his usual Monday night gig, Stewart introduced the “new government-approved Daily Show.” It was his unique way of commenting on ABC’s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel from the air following direct threats from Trump’s FCC Chair Brendan Carr. 

“We have another fun, hilarious, administration-compliant show,” Stewart said, surrounded by Trumpian gold flourishes. Throughout a monologue dominated by MAGA talking points, the host repeatedly shushed the laughing crowd, telling them, “You’re gonna blow this for us!”...

Despite the over-the-top MAGA-friendly act, Stewart still managed to use clips to catch Trump and his cohort in all sorts of blatant hypocrisy when it comes to the type of free speech they used to defend when it was targeted at the other side...

The Daily Show closed out its marathon opening segment with all seven co-hosts and correspondents reciting a pro-free speech message in terrified unison."

Utah’s Republican governor makes case for unity – in stark contrast with Trump; The Guardian, September 12, 2025

David Smith , The Guardian; Utah’s Republican governor makes case for unity – in stark contrast with Trump

"In a nation seemingly on the brink, they were words that Americans needed to hear – coming not from the president but a politician with civility, compassion and rhetorical grace notes.

“We can return violence with violence, we can return hate with hate, and that’s the problem with political violence – it metastasises because we can always point the figure at the other side,” said Spencer Cox, the governor of Utah. “At some point we have to find an offramp or else it’s going to get much, much worse.”

In a tone of moral urgency, Cox added: “These are choices that we can make. History will dictate if this is a turning point for our country but every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us.”

The governor was speaking at a press conference after announcing that authorities had arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, a political activist who rallied young voters for Donald Trump, at a university campus in Utah on Wednesday.

It was an act of surging political violence in a country awash with guns, a moment that cries out for cool heads to lower the political temperature. Yet Trump wasted no time in blaming the “radical left”.

The two-term Republican governor has frequently worked with Democrats and issued pleas for bipartisan cooperation. He drew national attention with a deeply personal response to the 2016 shooting at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub and has long espoused a vision of politics rooted in unity and respect.

That was evident in the calm, measured yet impassioned remarks that he made on Friday as the Trump-appointed FBI director, Kash Patel, looked on. “Over the last 48 hours I have been as angry as I have ever been, as sad as I have ever been,” Cox said, a tremor in his voice.

The 50-year-old governor, who has four children who are teenagers and young adults, directed some of his remarks to young people. “You are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage,” he said. “It feels like rage is the only option.”But, Cox insisted, there was a different path. “Your generation has an opportunity to build a culture that is very different than what we are suffering through right now. Not by pretending differences don’t matter but by embracing our differences and having those hard conversations.”...

Trump, however, has a history of exploiting tragedies to berate opponents and sow further division. Cox, by contrast, has been a strong advocate for civility in politics across the country. In his 2020 campaign for governor, he and his Democratic opponent appeared together in television ads pledging to “disagree without hating each other”, a highly unorthodox move.

And as chairman of the National Governors Association, he promoted civility through an initiative he called Disagree Better. He made appearances across the country with Democratic governors and other public figures to emphasise unifying values.

Frank Luntz, a political consultant and pollster, says: “Spencer Cox has been the national leader in promoting a more civil, respectful dialogue and his voice is needed now more than ever. He has said: we’re better than this, we don’t have to choose anger and, even at our angriest, we can decide to search for what is better in mankind. The vast majority of the public agrees with him.”

Luntz adds: “This is a break point for the country and thank God we have people like Cox who realise this. We may look back at this and say either this was the end of our civility and decency or the beginning of getting control back in our country where calmer minds are in charge.”"

Trump declines to call for unity after Charlie Kirk killing in stunning move; The Guardian, September 12, 2025

Ed Pilkington , The Guardian; Trump declines to call for unity after Charlie Kirk killing in stunning move

"In an interview on Fox & Friends on Friday morning, the US president was asked what he intended to do to heal the wounds of Kirk’s shooting in Utah. “How do we fix this country? How do we come back together?” he was asked by the show’s co-host Ainsley Earhardt, who commented that there were radicals operating on the left and right of US politics.

Less than 48 hours after Kirk was shot in broad daylight on the campus of Utah Valley University, Trump replied: “I tell you something that is going to get me in trouble, but I couldn’t care less.”...

Trump’s refusal to seek a common bipartisan way forward at a time of profound national anger, fear and mourning was a stunning move for a sitting US president, even by his standards.

The US has a long history of presidents using their rhetorical powers to try to overcome political fissures. The pinnacle perhaps was Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address towards the end of the civil war, in which he sought to “bind up the nation’s wounds” and made a point of striving for unity “with malice toward none, with charity for all”."

The USTA’s censorship of Trump dissent at the US Open is cowardly, hypocritical and un-American; The Guardian, September 7, 2025

Bryan Armen Graham , The Guardian ; The USTA’s censorship of Trump dissent at the US Open is cowardly, hypocritical and un-American

"When the dust finally settles in the days after Sunday’s eagerly awaited US Open men’s final, the United States Tennis Association will issue its annual victory-lap press release. It will tout another record-setting Open: more than a million fans through the gates, unprecedented social-media engagement, double-digit growth in food and beverage sales, and hundreds of celebrities packed into suites from Rolex to Ralph Lauren. It will beam about growing the game, championing diversity and turning Flushing Meadows into a pop-culture destination.

But for all the milestones the USTA is preparing to celebrate, this year’s tournament will be remembered for a different kind of first: the governing body’s lamentable decision to ask broadcasters not to show dissent against Donald Trump. In making that pre-emptive concession, the USTA has committed an unforced error that can’t be undone: sacrificing authenticity and credibility in order to shield a politician – any politician, regardless of party, ideology or affiliation – from the sound of public disapproval.

According to internal emails obtained by outlets including PA and Bounces, the USTA instructed its television partners to “refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions” when Trump appears on screen during Sunday’s final. A separate note reminded staff he would be seated in Rolex’s suite as a client guest. The 11-word statement to the Guardian on Saturday night from a USTA spokesperson – “We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions” – is so weak it could buckle under the weight of its own hypocrisy. (Rolex did not respond to a request for comment.)"

Trump’s Attendance At U.S. Open Men’s Final On Sunday Takes Center Court As Organizers Demand Broadcasters Not Air Boos & Protests; Deadline, September 6, 2025

Dominic Patten, Deadline; Trump’s Attendance At U.S. Open Men’s Final On Sunday Takes Center Court As Organizers Demand Broadcasters Not Air Boos & Protests

"Reaction to Donald Trump‘s attendance at the U.S. Open Men’s Final on Sunday just stepped into Center Court. 

A memo sent to the likes of ESPN and Sky Sports this afternoon from the United States Tennis Association asks “all broadcasters to refrain from showcasing any disruptions or reactions in response to the President’s attendance in any capacity.” 

Whether censorship, a very heavy handed request for civility amidst political division, both or an unintentional shooting of their own foort [sic], the USTA entreaty Saturday has had the immediate effect now of putting an added spotlight on Trump’s appearance at the prestigious match."

Trump Tries to Grab Solid Gold World Cup for Blinged-Up Oval Office; The Daily Beast, August 22, 2025

Josh Fiallo  , The Daily Beast; Trump Tries to Grab Solid Gold World Cup for Blinged-Up Oval Office

[Kip Currier: How many people think this is normal behavior? 

Would you approve of or admire this kind of behavior in your family members, friends, colleagues, or employees?]

[Excerpt]

"Trump, 79, could not resist asking to keep the FIFA World Cup trophy after it was displayed in his office on Friday, but FIFA President Gianni Infantino politely informed him that it was not his to take."

The Guardian view on the Alaska summit: there must be no more gifts to Vladimir Putin, Editorial; The Guardian, August 17, 2025

Editorial; The Guardian view on the Alaska summit: there must be no more gifts to Vladimir Putin

"Ukraine must remain in control of the future of its own territory, and the use of force must not be rewarded by the summary redrawing of borders. With enormous bravery and skill, and at immense cost, Ukraine has resisted an illegal invasion for more than three years. There must be no sellout."

Resignation and betrayal: What handing Donbas to Putin would mean for Ukraine; BBC, August 17, 2025

Joel Gunter, BBC ; Resignation and betrayal: What handing Donbas to Putin would mean for Ukraine

"For Ukrainians, polling shows security guarantees are an absolutely vital part of any potential agreement on territory or anything else.

"People in Ukraine will accept various forms of security guarantees," said Anton Grushchetsky, the director of Kyiv's International Institute for Sociology, "but they require them."

For Yevhen Tkachov, the emergency worker in Kramatorsk, exchange of territory could only be considered with "real guarantees, not just written promises".

"Only then, more or less, I am in favour of giving Donbas to Russia," he said. "If the British Royal Navy is stationed in the port of Odesa, then I agree."

As various paths to peace are floated and discussed, sometimes in the deal-making style preferred by President Trump, there is a risk of losing sight of the real people involved – people who have already lived through a decade of war and who may stand to lose even more now in exchange for peace.

Donbas was a place full of Ukrainians from all different walks of life, said Vitalii Dribnytsia, a Ukrainian historian. "We are not just talking about culture, about politics, about demographics, we are talking about people," he said.

Donetsk might not have the cultural reputation of somewhere like Odesa, Mr Drinytsia said. But it was Ukraine. "And any corner of Ukraine, regardless of whether it has some great cultural significance or not, is Ukraine," he said."

Why Trump’s Latest Reality TV Show Is a Flop; The Daily Beast, August 16, 2025

 David Rothkopf, The Daily Beast; Why Trump’s Latest Reality TV Show Is a Flop

"It is important to note that while Trump threatened to get tough on Russia if it did not go along with peace plans, what Trump really did was the opposite. He gave Putin a huge win by inviting him to the U.S. He literally rolled out the red carpet for a mass murderer, ending Putin’s well-deserved isolation from the U.S. and the international community. Trump spoke not of penalties for Russia but of future economic deals the two nations could celebrate. In other words, once again, Trump got fully played by Putin.

That is because Putin has realized all along that Trump was just a reality TV star playing at being president. The Russian thereby understands how to give Trump what he wants and therefore how to get what he seeks from Trump. He granted Trump just enough of a victory for the cameras while also sending an unmistakable message to those who really understand the game that is being played that Trump is weak, a stooge, a transitory character Putin will use and ultimately move on from.

There was a pathos to the whole event because if you watched closely, particularly during the closing press conference, it appeared Trump understood this as well. He was low-energy. He seemed defeated. He was going through the motions."

Fox News Calls Out Trump for No-Question ‘Press Conference’; The Daily Beast, August 16, 2025

William Vaillancourt , The Daily Beast; Fox News Calls Out Trump for No-Question ‘Press Conference’

"Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich, who witnessed Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin ignore reporters’ questions after their summit Friday, said everyone in the room was “surprised” by the president’s silence.

Heinrich, the network’s senior White House correspondent—whom Trump has previously targeted—spoke about the summit’s conclusion with anchor Brian Kilmeade, who also said he hadn’t expected things to wrap up with the usually talkative Trump walking away without taking questions...

When reached for comment, the White House did not answer the Daily Beast’s question about why neither Trump nor Putin took reporters’ questions.

As for Heinrich’s report, a press aide directed the Daily Beast to White House Communications Director Steven Cheung’s brief post on X in reply to the tail end of her comments to Kilmeade. 

“Total fake news,” was the response from Cheung, who just yesterday tried to criticize California Gov. Gavin Newsom for avoiding questions after a speech—except Newsom answered nine questions, nine more than Trump did Friday."

Stephen Colbert Latches Onto One Disturbing Word in Trump’s Epstein Defense; The Daily Beast, July 28, 2025

Michael Boyle , The Daily Beast; Stephen Colbert Latches Onto One Disturbing Word in Trump’s Epstein Defense

"Stephen Colbert was baffled by Donald Trump’s attempts to downplay his former friendship with Jeffrey Epstein—especially the claim that the president had “never had the privilege” of going to Epstein’s island. 

Colbert played the clip of Trump saying this to his audience, who groaned at Trump’s choice of words. “I’m sorry,” Colbert said. “What? You never had the privilege of going to Epstein’s island?""

Cartoon by Rob Rogers; The Washington Post, July 25, 2025

The Washington Post; Cartoon by Rob Rogers

[Kip Currier: I just chanced upon cartoonist Rob Rogers in The Washington Post and didn't know he was providing content for that newspaper now. Rogers was fired from The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on June 14, 2018 (coincidentally,  or not, Donald Trump's birthday and Flag Day). The owners of the paper asserted that Rogers was overly critical of then-President Donald Trump.]

Trump Attacks ‘Past’ Supporters Upset Over Epstein Case; The New York Times, July 16, 2025

Erica L. Green, The New York Times; Trump Attacks ‘Past’ Supporters Upset Over Epstein Case

 "In a blistering social media post Wednesday morning, President Trump took aim at his supporters who are upset with the administration’s handling of files related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose connections to wealthy figures have been a subject of intense interest among vocal portions of his base.

Mr. Trump distanced himself from those who have criticized him, calling them “PAST supporters” who had “bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker.”

Mr. Trump also claimed that outrage over the Justice Department’s decision to not release additional information and close the investigation was just the latest “scam” cooked up by Democrats.

“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work,” he wrote, “don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!”"