Steve Benen has forgotten Trump’s primary motivation as he notes the President continues to mislead on the North Korean issue:
As Donald Trump’s policy toward North Korea unravels, the American leader decided yesterday to offer some evidence of progress: the Republican president released an image of a recent letter he received from Kim Jong-un.
“I deeply appreciate the energetic and extraordinary efforts made by Your Excellency Mr. President for the improvement of relations between the two countries and the faithful implementation of the joint statement,” Kim said in a translated letter tweeted by the president.
Trump added in his tweet: “A very nice note from Chairman Kim of North Korea. Great progress being made!”
No, there is no great progress being made. Trump is making that up, hoping we’ll all just play along with the fantasy.
President Trump, being what he is, only does that which will benefit Donald J. Trump. He sees the Presidency as a great money-maker, and therefore wishes to retain it. Given political realities, it’s incumbent on the incumbent to consciously construct the mythos of the stable genius, the great deal maker, the demi-god, Trump.
And thus he can’t be seen as having been taken in by the North Koreans. It would shake his cult right down to their roots to see their leader failing at, well, just about anything. But when it comes to an existential threat, he can’t permit himself to be seen by his followers as a clumsy amateur who endangers the country.
That’s worse than letting immigrants in, in their minds.
So I think Steve’s analysis is just so far out in left field it’s not even wrong. In Trump’s mind, the danger is not to the United States, but to himself. And that’s all that matters. He has to keep his base enthralled; admitting failure is just not an option.
