1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

““He treats us with contempt.” So spoke a European leader after Trump’s recent appearance at Davos. But he could be speaking as well of our president’s contempt for his own country. Trump wants to invade a NATO ally so we can have military bases we already have, to combat a threat that does not exist. He is now citing his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize as a reason for his aggression toward Greenland. A military takeover of Greenland would blow up NATO, isolate the US and dramatically strengthen Russia and China—and for what? Can you explain to us? Meanwhile, a new poll out today from the NYT and Siena University shows that nearly two thirds of Americans, 63%, disapprove of how ICE is handling its job. Only 36% approve. Even among white Americans, 57% disapprove. Only 42% approve. Sixty-one percent of Americans, including 19% of Republicans, think that ICE agents have gone too far. Even right-wing channel Newsmax called the newly revealed secret ICE memo claiming the right to break down doors to arrest people in their homes “a direct and profound violation of the Fourth Amendment, which expressly says people are entitled to be secure in their homes and that security can only be invaded by a search warrant signed by a judge based on probable cause of crime.” The poll also had bad news for Trump more generally, too. His approval rating has fallen to 40%. 56% disapprove of the way he is handling his job. 49% of registered voters think the country is worse off than it was a year ago. Only 32% think it is better off. The poll showed him underwater on every single issue: managing the government, Venezuela, immigration, the economy, relationships with other countries, the Israli-Palestinian conflict, the cost of living, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and the Epstein files, on which only 22% of registered voters approve while 66% disapprove. The only area where he is not underwater by double digits is on the issue of border between the U.S. and Mexico, where 50% of registered voters approve and only 46% disapprove. Not surprisingly, Trump’s social media account posted that he would add the Times/Siena poll to his existing lawsuit against the NYT. “RECORD NUMBERS ALL OVER THE PLACE!” Trump’s social media account crowed. “SHOULD I TRY FOR A FOURTH TERM?” The Great and Powerful Oz is losing his s*@t. Would my elected officials support him in this fantasy? Would you attempt to stop him in this fantasy? Or would you just duck and cover until our democracy along with your jobs disappear into history?