Week 37
By 
This was the week a failed National Guard major lectured the US’s generals and admirals on grooming, followed by a rousing Donald Trump reprise of his favorites. For a coup to hold, the military must provide support, and there was no indication that this military is so inclined. I would guess that the generals and admirals were sufficiently offended that the opposite is true. That they offered only polite, pro-forma applause indicated that they continue their allegiance to the Constitution. Some are MAGA, but they were disciplined by the many more who chose their oaths.
Kori Schake, usually extremely mild-mannered, says that Trump’s speech was an incitement to violence against Americans. Trump would clearly like to see the military shooting civilians in the streets, but we’re currently a long way from that.
Bari Weiss is to be editor-in-chief of CBS News.
A couple of big legal slapdowns from the lower courts. I keep hoping for better explanations from the lawyers and courtwatchers. By and large, the lower courts are siding with the Constitution. The Supreme Court continues to side with Trump except on the Fed. Seems like there’s going to be a collision one of these days.
ICE has been ramping up in Chicago. Not enough response from Governor J. B. Pritzker so far.
We are in an odd place. Trump is clearly declining, if not fully in the grip of dementia. His speeches at the UN and to the generals are evidence of that. His popularity and that of his actions are declining. Democrats are taking off-season elections except in the Trumpiest places. But he occupies the position of the most powerful man in the world, and as long as he is in that spot, he has hangers-on who will use that power. So Stephen Miller orders the killing of fishermen in the Caribbean, and Russell Vought withholds government money and fires people. JD Vance prodigiously and obviously lies.
Historian Michael Bechsloss (Correction: brother Stephen) writes about this, and others are beginning to. More people are willing to voice their observations of the emperor’s dementia. He had a short disappearance this week but is back on the golf course. There’s a photo of Pete Hegseth greeting him as he comes onstage for the speech to the generals in which he has a truly demented smile, tie even more askew than usual.
Someone has been posting 4chan AI slop on Trump’s Truth Social account late at night. One has a black-hooded Trump striking a bell, and JD Vance drumming. The last several shooters have shown this kind of influence, so it seems particularly sinister. Most news outlets persist in trying to force the shooters’ worldviews into right or left, and this very internet position passes them by completely. I can’t say much about it because I don’t understand it either, but at least I know it’s there.
Even the Times is more willing to write things straight. One example, but there are more:
It is illegal for the military to deliberately kill civilians — even suspected criminals — who are not directly participating in hostilities.
That’s by Charlie Savage, in an article about the fourth strike on a boat in the Caribbean. That’s not to say that all of the Times is coming around, just noting small movements.
Trump announced a peace “deal” in which he would head a board of governors, with Tony Blair as chief operating officer, to rule Gaza. If they can get Israel to end the war. This does not seem to be working, although Hamas says they will release the hostages.
Oh yeah, the shutdown. It’s purely a Republican thing. Keep saying that.
Follow the court-watchers for the details of the lawsuits. Chris Geidner (LawDork, Bluesky), Roger Parloff (Lawfare, Bluesky), and the Just Security tracker.
As usual, keep it to things that have actually happened, not hypotheticals. What is actually happening is bad enough.
Caring for yourself and loved ones is resistance too. Post your pets. My situation is easing up a little, and this morning I feel encouragingly positive.
171 more weeks to go. What are you doing?
Previous weeks: Week 10, Week 20, Week 30, Week 31, Week 32, Week 33, Week 34, Week 35, Week 36