To the editor: President Trump’s crude letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, threatening tariffs over Brazil’s prosecution of its former president (Trump’s personal friend), reduces the storied American diplomatic tradition to amateur hour (“Brazil vows retaliatory tariffs against U.S. if Trump follows through on 50% import taxes,” July 10). Overall, Trump’s tariff activity seems more tied to his self-image as a “dealmaker” than to sound economic policy.
Similarly, Trump’s threat to revoke Rosie O’Donnell’s citizenship following a long public spat with her illustrates how he has personalized the presidency in the worst way (“Trump says he’s considering ‘taking away’ Rosie O’Donnell’s U.S. citizenship,” July 12). Though elderly in years, Trump seems to be stuck in some adolescent phase, reenacting the intolerance and terror of high school cliques. He uses his office to punish those he dislikes, and especially those who dislike him, in effect turning his pathological rejection/evasion of criticism almost into an arm of the law.
Trump’s “personalization,” i.e. making the office all about himself, his biases and petty grievances, disrespects and dishonors the American presidency.
D. Keith Naylor, South Pasadena
