In 2017, I published a post on “Better Terms,” trying to wrap my head around the fact that Americans had voted for a man who would stand at a podium during a campaign for president and mock a disabled reporter. American voters had chosen a man who had so little little respect for other human beings, that he could proudly display middle-school-level debasement of a disabled person, gambling that it would appeal to his base. And it did. And they chose to elevate him to the position of Leader of the Free World.
Fast forward to 2025. Because American voters COULD NOT bring themselves to vote for a woman for president, regardless that the other choice was a twice-impeached convicted felon racist/rapist, we have once again handed the keys of the kingdom to a man with no respect for anyone or anything, who continues to showcase his sixth-grade-level mental capabilities. Being the card-carrying misogynist he is—the man cannot abide any human with double x chromosomes who does not fuck him, want to fuck him, or act as if they want to fuck him—women are his favorite targets for his juvenile name-calling and schoolyard bullying. His go-to insults have up til now been words like “stupid“ and “terrible”. If he wants to be particularly articulate, he uses “low IQ” and “awful,” and most female reporters he chooses to bully work for “fake news” (How I wish to god that no one had ever popped the lid off THAT Pandora’s box…!) Last week, in a clear demonstration of his cognitive collapse, he admonished a female journalist on Air Force One to “ Quiet, Piggy.” Piggy. Really? Now he sounds like a five-year-old.
I have repeatedly found myself wondering, how in the HELL has he managed to get away with this for almost 2 decades? Why does nobody call him on this? But it just occurred to me: Trump rose to power on the ladder of social media. And what dominates the culture of social media? Insults, bullying, snarky comments, even threats of violence. Too, think of the culture of right-wing media. Very much the same, but throw in stacks of bold-faced lies and...dare I say it...fake news. Of course Trump struck a chord with his sixth-grade bullying and name-calling (not to mention the lies that pour out of his face every time he opens his mouth) in the run up to his first administration. There are legions of folks out there who have been steeped in that crap for half, if not all, of their lives. No mystery, I suppose, that they would see Trump as a perfect example of themselves helming the nation.
Granted, during his first administration, there were still one or two Republicans who realized what a disaster an unfettered Trump would be to the nation and the world. There was a string of advisors, chiefs of staff, cabinet members and ambassadors who made vain attempts to be "the adults in the room." Trump shook off every one of them with impunity, while his "base" raised their fists and cheered. They wanted Trump unfiltered. If it hadn't been for COVID, I'm pretty sure we would have seen that in his first administration.
Now, in Trump 2.0, the GOP has completely capitulated to the Trumpian persona. Heck, it got him re-nominated and re-elected. It MUST be the key to gaining and retaining power in 21st-century America, so anyone within spitting distance of Mango Mussolini has piled into the clown car right behind him. Not only do they not call him on his boorish, moronic behavior, they do their damnedest to emulate it, because they believe it will get them what they desperately crave: power, riches, and the license to do whatever the hell they want with zero consequences.
So, yeah…I can see why the battalion of sycophants that comprise Trump’s inner circle would turn a deaf ear to his vocally adolescent diatribes and disrespect for…everything. But what the hell is wrong with the rest of us, particularly the White House press corps? What could possibly be the reasoning behind letting the overgrown toddler-cum-leader of the free world verbally abuse and disrespect their colleagues? Why in the world would the female journalists themselves put up with it? Please do NOT tell me it’s “out of respect for the office.” Respect is earned, not commanded by those with power. Trump has repeatedly shown that HE has as much respect for the office of POTUS as he does for anything or anyone else that isn’t HIM—which is zero. He deserves every bit as much in return.
I don’t know what misguided adherence to norms and traditions associated with the office of POTUS is keeping members of the press from calling Trump on the carpet and standing up for their profession and their personal dignity. They aren’t doing Trump, the American people or journalistic integrity any favors by letting him act as no adult human being, much less the President of the United States, should act toward other people in a civilized society.
Those of us who oppose the disaster that is Trump with every fiber of our beings are told to resist, to march, to be allies to our fellow citizens who are being endangered by Trump’s fascist policies. But 99% of us will never get anywhere near the man himself. These journalists—the ones he bullies and flagrantly verbally abuses on a daily basis—THEY have the opportunity to hold their hands up to his face and say, “No. No more. You may not treat us like this. NO ONE may, but least of all the President of the United States.”
The members of the press can be—should be—our first line of resistance against the monster that is Trump. They need to realize this and stand up for themselves…and for US. I swear to god, if some moron told ME to “Quiet, piggy” while I was doing my very important job, the absolute least they would get out of me is a very loud and pointed, “Excuse me? What did you just call me?”
I've heard many on social media criticize the men of the press corp for not standing up to Trump's continued harassment of the women. But we actually need the women themselves to...grow a set...? Let’s hear it, ladies of the White House press corps. We need YOU to draw the line in the sand.
