The un-American president: Trump hugs the flag every chance he gets, but the truth is very dark inde

https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-the-unamerican-president-20191006-zvbmfwq3mbfmvifcc5h6hiu4fi-story.html



The un-American president: Trump hugs the flag every chance he gets, but the truth is very dark indeed

What was apparent even before he began to campaign for president is now increasingly obvious: Donald Trump is an un-American kind of character, unworthy of the office he holds.

Trump’s deviance from our core national values begins with the way he operates as man. The positive ideal, confirmed by a recent Pew Research study, finds most Americans believe a good man is honest, kind, strong and compassionate. That Trump fails on every count is obvious.

If you need proof, just consider the 12,000-plus lies and misleading statements of his presidency, his cruel treatment of children seeking asylum and the mewling fake-victim pose he strikes whenever he is caught in some disgrace or deception.

In a recent press conference, Trump called the news media “not just fake,” but “corrupt” and called the House Intelligence Committee chairman “shifty.” This litany of childish complaints should be familiar to anyone who has heard the president’s often-voiced whines about how he never gets due credit for his accomplishments.

Contrary to his gripes, Trump is under scrutiny because he has applied his personal values to his role as president, for here, too, he represents the opposite of American virtue. No one gets it right all of the time, but Americans expect everyone at least to seek the ethical high ground. This goes double for our leaders.