Before Donald Trump’s latest outburst — praising the demolition of ObamaCare and lying about his predecessors over their respect for fallen troops — I spoke with CNN International on Monday about how to understand Trump’s approach.
Put bluntly, from health care to the Iran deal to environmental regulations to LGBT rights, Trump’s approach is “If Obama did it, rip it up”.
The chat considers the effects of the Presidency as a personal vendetta, from the damage to US diplomacy to the likely devastation for millions of Americans from a sabotaged health care system.
There is the double question of “the Trumpian illusion v. reality”: “Will Americans buy this? And will Republicans go along with it?” And there’s a closing reference to the campaign of former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon to divide the Republican Party, supposedly in defense of Trump.