Lower than 24 hours into his second time period, Donald Trump is already attempting to settle scores together with his perceived enemies, taking a number of petty actions to stroke his large and fragile ego.
Lower than two hours after being sworn in, Trump had a portrait of Gen. Mark Milley—the previous chair of the Joint Chiefs of Workers who referred to as Trump a “fascist” and a “dangerous” particular person—faraway from the Pentagon, The New York Instances reported. The portrait had been unveiled simply 10 days in the past.
Milley is without doubt one of the folks Trump placed on his enemies listing.
Trump’s hatred of Milley runs so deep that former President Joe Biden gave Milley a preemptive pardon to forestall Trump from ordering his administration to prosecute Milley for no matter made-up crimes they may conjure up.
Milley mentioned he was grateful for Biden’s pardon.
“I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights,” he said in a statement. “I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety.”
Trump additionally introduced that he eliminated 4 folks Biden appointed, together with Milley.
Trump wrote in a submit on X:
Our first day within the White Home just isn’t over but! My Presidential Personnel Workplace is actively within the means of figuring out and eradicating over a thousand Presidential Appointees from the earlier Administration, who will not be aligned with our imaginative and prescient to Make America Nice Once more. Let this function Official Discover of Dismissal for these 4 people, with many extra, coming quickly: Jose Andres from the President’s Council on Sports activities, Health and Vitamin, Mark Milley from the Nationwide Infrastructure Advisory Council, Brian Hook from the Wilson Middle for Students, and Keisha Lance Bottoms from the President’s Export Council—YOU’RE FIRED!
Andres is a humanitarian who has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit he based that feeds folks affected by pure disasters, battle, and poverty.
Andres wrote in a submit on X that he could not be faraway from his place as a result of he already resigned per week in the past.
Andres wrote:
I submitted my resignation final week…my 2 yr time period was already up. I used to be honored to function co-chair of the President’s Council on Sports activities, Health, and Vitamin. My fellow council members – unpaid volunteers like me – have been hardworking, proficient individuals who impressed me every single day. I’m pleased with what we achieved on behalf of the American folks…like a historic partnership between the White Home and each main sports activities league to extend entry to sports activities and well being packages for teenagers. I hope @realdonaldtrump workout routines his presidential authority so the Council can proceed to advocate for health and good well being for all People. These are bipartisan points…nonpartisan points. Might God provide the knowledge, Mr. President, to place politics and title calling apart…and as an alternative raise up the on a regular basis folks working to carry America collectively. Let’s construct longer tables….
Bottoms served as mayor of Atlanta and later labored within the Biden White Home because the director of the Workplace of Public Engagement.
Like Andres, Bottoms mentioned she already left her place so Trump’s “firing” was moot.
“A day late and a dollar short … My resignation from the President’s Export Council was submitted January 4, effective yesterday,” Bottoms mentioned. “You can’t fire someone who has already resigned. Of all the things happening in the world, not sure why I’m on Donald Trump’s mind at 1:30 am following his inauguration, but I count it as a badge of honor.”
And it’s unclear why he focused Hook, who really served in Trump’s first administration as an envoy to Iran.
As for different pettiness, following Trump’s darkish and low-energy inaugural deal with, he gave rambling 30-minute remarks wherein he complained about his 2024 victory and lied about voter fraud, falsely saying he “would have won the state of California” in 2024 have been it not for fraud.
In these remarks, Trump additionally falsely accused Milley in addition to the members of Congress who investigated the Capitol revolt of being responsible of “very, very guilty of very, very bad crimes”—making Biden’s preemptive pardons look nicely justified.
Finally, Trump’s first day in workplace was an abject catastrophe that proved his detractors proper after they warned that his second time period can be 4 years of Trump going after anybody who he deems insufficiently subservient.
Amid Trump’s pettiness, Jose Andres’ staff is on the bottom in California offering essential assist and assist. That’s management. Donate now to assist World Central Kitchen and different organizations’ Southern California aid efforts.