In 2019, residents of Alabama had been unnecessarily alarmed after then-President Trump incorrectly stated Hurricane Dorian was headed their manner. Nonetheless, as a substitute of acknowledging he made a mistake, Trump questioned the Nationwide Climate Service and confirmed People a falsified climate map — which is in opposition to the legislation.
Opinion Columnist
LZ Granderson
LZ Granderson writes about tradition, politics, sports activities and navigating life in America.
At the moment the previous president is spewing lies about reduction efforts and federal assets at a time when these affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton want steerage and assist. State and native Republicans have requested him to cease, as a result of apparently misinformation mucks up rescue and reduction efforts. After all, Trump doesn’t care as long as his lies additionally muck up the election.
What can I say? Similar Trump, completely different yr.
After he deliberately performed down the specter of COVID-19 in these preliminary months of 2020, Trump stated he purposefully misled the general public to stop panic. Consequently, we had been ill-prepared as a rustic. Our hospitals grew to become shortly overrun, with individuals dying at school gyms and our bodies held in refrigerated vans as morgues overflowed.
The pandemic started with him mendacity to us concerning the severity of the virus. 4 years later, and as soon as once more Trump’s intuition as a pacesetter throughout a nationwide disaster is to deceive the American individuals and complain about “The View.”
Elections have penalties. The primary Trump time period added $8.4 trillion to the nationwide debt and compelled rape victims to offer beginning after the overturning of Roe vs. Wade by Trump justices. Should you flip via Challenge 2025, the plan conservatives put collectively to reshape the federal authorities underneath a second Trump administration, you’ll see that Spherical 2 can be a lot worse.
Trump would even make pure disasters worse.
The 2025 blueprint requires chopping up and promoting off giant chunks of the federal authorities’s company dedicated to gathering knowledge about climate — the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That’s the place the Nationwide Hurricane Heart is housed. The skilled who instructed that Trump scrap this company for components, Thomas F. Gilman, was a lifer within the vehicle trade earlier than becoming a member of Trump’s Commerce Division in 2019, the identical yr Trump redrew the route of a hurricane with a Sharpie.
Challenge 2025 units out to exchange tens of 1000’s of skilled civil servants who’ve related experience with political appointees who’re first loyal to Trump — individuals like Gilman. Should you’re nonetheless questioning how unhealthy that may very well be, contemplate that whereas the nation was bracing for Hurricane Milton — on the heels of Hurricane Helene — considered one of Trump’s allies, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), used her platform to inform People “they” management the climate.
She didn’t say who “they” are, how “they” are doing it or what Home Republicans would do to cease … “they.” It sounds nonsensical as a result of it’s. However don’t conflate nonsensical with inconsequential. Elections have penalties.
Greene would possibly consider 9/11 was a hoax, however Republicans who know higher positioned her on the Homeland Safety Committee to appease Trump. The committee’s official web site states that it was shaped “in 2002 within the aftermath of September 11, 2001,” and but GOP management put a denier on the panel to appease somebody who they know is mendacity about hurricane reduction efforts proper now. Loyalty to Trump is the one foreign money that issues to a few of these individuals. Not experience, not conventional conservative values, not integrity.
That’s how the celebration of Lincoln has sadly turn out to be the celebration that responds to nationwide emergencies by scapegoating others: claiming “they” management the climate; “they” are consuming pets; “they” are paid actors relatively than traumatized survivors of a faculty capturing. To this present day, Home Speaker Mike Johnson refuses to say who received the 2020 election. As a substitute when reporters ask, he accuses them of hurling “gotcha questions” at him, which can be good for his relationship with Trump however doesn’t assist the nation in any manner.
All of which brings me right here: For greater than 50 years, since Richard M. Nixon confronted off in opposition to John F. Kennedy, televised debates have been a benchmark in presidential politics. With Trump on the focus, the primary Republican major debate of 2016 gave Fox the most-watched nonsports occasion in cable historical past. The second debate additionally introduced excessive scores. Trump didn’t begin skipping debates within the major till Fox Information introduced it will be utilizing video of earlier appearances to carry candidates accountable for his or her phrases.
That’s why he and his working mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), oppose fact-checking throughout debates and interviews. Accountability is why Trump prevented debating Ambassador Nikki Haley through the 2024 major. It’s why he obtained right into a combat with journalists at a information convention this previous summer season. It’s why he’s afraid to debate Vice President Kamala Harris once more.
When a businessman is accustomed to escaping penalties for his misdeeds by submitting for chapter as usually as Trump has, I can see why he’d be uncomfortable with being held accountable.
Nonetheless, a president or candidate doesn’t get to keep away from accountability any greater than the nation can escape the implications of an election. Trump’s lies in workplace did injury. His lies right now are hurting individuals who need assistance. And nobody needs to be shocked: In each disaster, Trump has proven himself to be a liar, not a pacesetter.
@LZGranderson
