All of Trump's Men: Don't Blame Them

: Jamie Stiehm on Oct 21, 2026

WASHINGTON -- Once upon a time, a theory made waves in political science courses that it didn't matter who the president was because the U.S. government was so mighty that it would run itself without any one person in charge.

That's ridiculous. I hope that professor lived to see what hell we're burning in now. His grade: F.

One man has changed everything and is still coming for you, your neighbors, your city, the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the affordable golf course here in Washington. He just chopped down hundreds of trees, which were on public land, under cover of a holiday weekend.

(What a guy, Father, to tell lots of lies.)

One man's curse on the country is cast and shall spread all over the globe, wrecking America's good word and helping hand with allies and countries in desperate need of aid, development and medical assistance.

You and I know that Donald Trump started a war with Iran on a whim in late February. Perhaps he started the war to divert the nation's eyes from the Epstein files and sex scandals.

What he didn't foresee is the current crisis in gas and diesel prices, hurting Americans where they live: their cars, SUVs and trucks.

All Iranian leaders had to do was close the Strait of Hormuz to defy our superpower. Trump gets his comeuppance, but he's not paying a price out of the $2 billion (personal) profit he's made as president.

Elon Musk closed the U.S. Agency for International Development on the first day of Trump's second term. But don't blame the white South African specimen; he can't help being Elon Musk.

Blame Trump for all the dirty work his men do, every day, to dismantle the decency, fairness, human rights and rule of law America was known for.

Blame Trump for destroying faith in the proven health benefits of childhood vaccines, which is causing outbreaks of measles. Don't blame Bobby Kennedy Jr., health secretary and former heroin addict, for leading the antivaccine crusade with Trump's green light because "Bobby's a star."

Blame Trump for Pete Hegseth's role as chief fraternity president at the Pentagon, kicking out highly trained women, Black and other high-ranking military officers (and the press) in his medieval quest for "warfighters."

Blame Trump for secret police roundups in the streets that detain thousands of people in terrible conditions that our cameras can't see.

I used to think that was un-American. Now I'm not so sure. But don't blame Stephen Miller, the immigrant impresario.

Trump's right-hand man in taking voting and reproductive rights away is Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who's granted Trump immunity from prosecution for criminal acts committed in office.

The upshot: Collapsing systems of the government bureaucracy were no match for Trump's determination to snuff them from the inside.

Hundreds of experts in public service were fired overnight -- even the librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden. We depended on good will and good faith in governance.

We'll leave Trumpian ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin for another day.

Now it feels like our divided society is holding on tight, falling apart, soon to be in free fall.

Why do I say that?

The election looming on the November horizon, coming to a voting precinct near you. There may be nothing Trump won't do to avoid a harsh rebuke from American voters, the blue wave drowning his meek red Congress. He hates to lose, as we know too well.

He's already stationed National Guard soldiers on the streets of our city.

As a survivor of Trump's armed mob storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, I know there was a plan in place that nearly worked. The mob of countless marauders there to prevent the peaceful transfer of power had a list of who they wanted. The scariest part of all was that it was a close call.

But don't blame the mob. Blame the man who invited and incited them.

The plan for Tuesday, Nov. 3, is unknown to all but a few good men -- ahem! Like Hegseth, who'd willingly set his warfighters into the sacred rituals of our democracy -- what shards of democracy we have left.

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The author may be reached at JamieStiehm.com. To find out more about Jamie Stiehm and other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, please visit creators.com.

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