A Sinking Ship by Geoff Carter « The Pen in Hand Blog

Illustration by Michael DiMilo

By Geoff Carter

A Sinking Ship

Late last week, David Hearn, the former Olympic canoeist who was accused of vandalizing the newly painted deck of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, was exonerated. United States Attorney and Trump lackey Jeanine Pirro dropped all charges against him—because there was no case, no evidence, and nothing logical or sane behind Trump’s allegations of vandalism to his renovated pool flor. Documents showed that the damage had occurred because of a botched installation by Trump’s handpicked contractor.

The fact that Ms. Pirro, one of Trump’s most zealous lackeys, defied his demand to prosecute someone—anyone—for supposedly supporting his fiction about communists or leftists or antifa thugs vandalizing his reflecting pool vanity project was in and of itself remarkable. Up until now, no one has defied Trump without incurring his wrath.

Pundits have compared the cracks in the pool sealant (likely caused by Trump riding over it in his SUV to show it off) to cracks beginning to show on his presidency.

If Trump has done anything (and there’s not a lot) well during his rise to power, it’s his ability to keep the Republican party in line. His almost Svengali-like control of the MAGA masses has made Republican primaries nightmares for anyone who would think of defying him. All he has to do is threaten to endorse a MAGA-friendly candidate.

Just this past year, Thomas Massie (R-Ky), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Brad Raffensperger, (the Georgia Secretary of State who refused to “find” 11,780 votes for Trump’s presidential bid in 2024), and finally, five Indiana state senators who refused to go along with the plan to redistrict Indiana were ousted by Trump’s chosen candidates during their primaries.

Added to the list of former Trump Republican casualties like Liz Cheney, Tom Rice, and Peter Meijer, it seems obvious that defying this president is a political death sentence. As a result, most Republican senators and representatives have behaved, putting their careers ahead of their principles (which were always in front, anyway). Going back to Trump’s first term, Republican senators approved his nominations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court—which resulted in the overturning of Roe-v-Wade, presidential immunity to nearly any transgression committed while in office, and the gutting of the Voter Rights Act. They’ve served their master well.

House Majority Leader Mike Johnson is yet another accomplice in Trump’s war on America. He has made every effort to bend the House of Representatives to the president’s will, forcing through the passage the Big Beautiful Bill and stalling all legislative actions to call Trump to account for starting the senseless war in Iran. He also has done everything in his power to pass the SAVE Act, the president’s attempt to further jeopardize voter rights. This obeisance to Trump has been the norm, but starting with Ms. Pirro’s defection, things seem to be slipping. Cracks are forming. The ship may be starting to sink.

Last night, two Trump-endorsed candidates lost in Florida’s Republican primaries. Cory Mills, who has been under fire for alleged violation of campaign finance laws and sexual misconduct, was nevertheless endorsed by Trump. He lost to former news anchor Ryan Elijah. Catherine Lauf, another Trump endorsee, lost her primary race. So did Trump’s choice for governor of Wyoming. It would seem as if his hold on the Republican electorate seems to be loosening as his façade, much like the blue lining in the reflecting pool, is cracking.

One big reason for Trump’s slippage in the Republican party is his unpopularity. The war in Iran, largely seen as unnecessary and expensive, rising gas prices, the lack of affordable housing, his ruthless deportation policies, unflagging support for the billionaire class (including advocacy for the highly unpopular data centers popping up like mushrooms all over the country), the destruction of the East Wing of the White House and his aggressive campaign to remake Washington, D.C. in his own image have made him one of the most unpopular presidents in history. And don’t forget (as much as the president would like us to) his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein and his insistence that the Department of Justice, staffed with (mostly incompetent) Trump loyalists, not release tens of thousands of unredacted Epstein files.

Add to that his personal crassness and vulgarity—remember “grab ‘em by the p——“, his mocking of a disabled New York Times reporter, his juvenile name-calling, including labeling some citizens retards along with his racism, his affinity with the Proud Boys and other white supremacy groups, and one would think that support from his MAGA voting would have begun to erode—but no.

Add to that his brazen looting of federal funds and his manipulations of the crypto market, his illegal insider trading, and unabashed nepotism, and one would think that support from his MAGA voting would have begun to erode—but no.

Recent photos of him falling asleep in Cabinet meetings and rambling incoherently during speeches have led to speculation about his mental and physical health. His obsession with that the 2020 election was stolen from him even though over sixty court cases ruled that there was no election fraud or interference have cast doubt on whether he is a bald-faced liar or mentally unwell. This obsession led him to instigate the January 6^th riots in an attempt to usurp the 2020 presidential election certification. This was nothing less than an attempted coup. And then, to add insult to injury, he pardoned all the rioters, even those convicted of felonies, and one would think that support from his MAGA voting would have begun to erode—but no.

What seems to have finally alienated his MAGA faithful is the price of living—specifically gas, health care, and groceries—and the Iran War, issues that affect them and their families personally.

All this begs the question of why did it take so long for this façade to crack? How did he get away all this for so long and how, through all his despicable comments, behaviors, and actions, his monumental incompetence, greed, and thievery, did he hold onto his supporters for so long?

I understand that Trump has a sort of weird charisma that appeals to a certain type of voter, but I don’t get it. I don’t see it—not a hint of it, and I’ve tried. I don’t know if some Americans think that he’s a financial genius or a tough guy or what, but it’s amazing that he’s gotten with his schtick for as long as he has.

Now that his unflagging support among his faithful is slipping, some Republicans are becoming desperate to separate themselves from Trump’s unpopular policies for the upcoming midterm elections. With their jobs at stake, they are somehow finding the courage to stand up to them. They are evolving into vertebrates—finally, now that they see their jobs might be more at risk if they stick with Trump than if not—like the proverbial rats on a sinking ship.

If this Trump façade of savvy businessman and tough-guy gangster and all the other juvenile fantasy projections he posts on social media and trading cards falls apart, what will be left? A doddering old fool? A madman? Or an expatriate seeking refuge in Russia, North Korea, or one of his other dictator buddy’s states?

I wouldn’t count our chickens. If the Republicans lose the Senate or the House or both, Trump will hang on until he has pocketed every last penny worth pinching by trying to muddy the election results with accusations of fraud. He might try to rally the Proud Boys and the other January 6^th faithful to intimidate voters or confiscate ballot boxes. He may try to declare martial law. Or he may deploy his own private army of ICE agents to “maintain order” in our streets.

If Trump’s façade continues to crack and finally shatter, we may not find a fool or a joker sitting there, but a monster ready to destroy anything in his path to maintain power, and we cannot count on anyone in the Republican party to come to the aid of their constituents.

They’ll be busy leaving the sinking ship.