By Ben Meiselas
Hi, everyone. I hope you are having a nice Tuesday. On this Veterans Day, I’d like to start off my afternoon news update by honoring all those who have served. This of course includes the incredible veterans who work right here at MeidasTouch. Your courage, integrity, and commitment to protecting democracy inspire everything we do. If you have a moment, read MeidasTouch contributor and former Navy pilot Ken Harbaugh’s guest essay posted to the Meidas+ Substack today. It is so incredibly powerful. Please consider subscribing now to support our work if you haven’t yet.
On this Veterans Day, Donald Trump’s presidency has plunged into chaos both at home and abroad. Instead of honoring those who served on his social media account, Trump chose to attack former President Barack Obama, post bizarre “prophecy” conspiracies, and share images of half-naked women draped in American flags. He’s abandoned even pretense of seriousness. He doesn’t even pretend to care about our country.
As Americans struggle with skyrocketing costs and the worst layoff crisis since the Great Recession, Trump’s focus is on grievance and spectacle. Reports show expected Christmas spending is already down 1.3% compared to last year, a symptom of a collapsing economy under his watch.
But the damage isn’t limited to our borders. CNN reported that the United Kingdom, our closest ally, has suspended intelligence sharing with the U.S. regarding suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean. British officials reportedly fear they could be complicit in war crimes after the Trump administration began conducting unauthorized military strikes, or as we call it here, murder. Let that sink in: our most trusted partner is withholding intelligence because it no longer trusts America under Trump.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to lie about his supposed “deals” with China. He claimed that President Xi agreed to drop export controls on rare earth elements, critical materials used in U.S. defense systems. In reality, Beijing is expanding restrictions, targeting American companies with military contracts. This is just more weakness exposed on the world stage.
Trump has also boasted of “stopping wars,” yet the opposite is true. Thailand and Cambodia have reignited border conflicts once touted as “resolved” by Trump. He took credit for peace agreements that were never signed, never honored, and never real. The situation in Gaza is no better. Newly leaked Pentagon documents reveal that Trump’s so-called “peace deal” failed to even mention a two-state solution and was “divorced from any plan of implementation,” according to officials who attended internal briefings, just as we’ve been saying all along.
While Trump spent Veterans Day sharing misogynistic posts and racist attacks, writing that “racism was almost dead until the Obamas showed up,” real presidents demonstrated leadership and compassion. President Biden wrote, “Our democracy is more secure because of the service and sacrifice of our veterans.” Former President Obama surprised a plane full of veterans in Washington, personally thanking them for their service.
That’s what dignity looks like. That’s what patriotism sounds like.
Meanwhile, Trump’s regime continues its assault on the rule of law. Multiple prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida have resigned after being pressured to pursue criminal cases against Trump’s perceived enemies from the 2016 Russia investigation, cases they know are “patently unlawful.” Trump’s responded with more propaganda. More distractions. More lies.
He’s even been flaunting his private social club in a grotesque parody of power. Axios reports that “Mar-a-Lago Face,” a term for Trumpworld’s new obsession with plastic surgery, has become a trend among his wealthy insiders. As Americans struggle to afford groceries and gas, Trump’s circle obsesses over cosmetic procedures and gold-plated decor.
And when confronted with the economic pain Americans are feeling, Trump dismisses the notions that Americans are struggling with “affordability” as a “con job.” His Treasury Secretary recently echoed that sentiment, insisting that affordability concerns are “manufactured” by the media, even as families across the country cut back on essentials.
This is the state of Trump’s America: delusion at the top, despair at the bottom, and disinformation flooding everything in between. Our allies are fleeing, our economy is faltering, and our institutions are cracking under the weight of one man’s corruption and vanity.
The contrast could not be clearer. While true leaders honor sacrifice and strengthen democracy, Trump desecrates both. Veterans Day should remind us of service, courage, and unity. Instead, it revealed how far our nation has fallen under a man who knows none of those words.
We’ll keep fighting for a better America that honors our values, but we can’t do it without you. Like this article, repost, and consider becoming a paid subscriber now and help us reach out November goal. We need you now more than ever.
