Trump Shoots Himself in the Foot … Again
Those who have followed my commentaries know that I am very critical of Trump’s pugnacious personality. It undermines his own messaging. When Democrats hand him a political gift wrapped in shiny paper, he rips it open, throws it aside, and proceeds to punch himself in the nose. It is a recurring pattern that leaves Republicans bewildered and Democrats delighted.
The latest example involves a group of Democrat legislators who took to TikTok with a message to rank‑and‑file military personnel — you have the right — even the duty — to disobey illegal orders.
On its face, that statement is true. Soldiers are not required to obey an order to commit murder or robbery. That principle has been embedded in military law for generations. But that is not what these legislators were suggesting. They were not talking about obvious crimes. They were insinuating that many of Trump’s deployment orders are “illegal” and that individual soldiers should simply refuse to obey them if they believe them to be unlawful. They should go AWOL when orders to deploy to Chicago or refuse to attack narco boats simply because those on the left claim the orders are illegal,
That is outrageous. It is not the role of privates and corporals to decide military or constitutional questions. Presidents often issue orders that exceed their powers. That is why we have courts. That is why disputes go to the Supreme Court. The military oath is to obey lawful orders, not to freelance constitutional interpretation at a personal level. Encouraging soldiers to disobey based on personal belief undermines discipline, the chain of command, and the very foundation of civilian control of the military.
This should have been a slam‑dunk issue for Trump and the GOP. Democrats were openly encouraging disobedience in the ranks. They were essentially telling soldiers to break the law and violate their oath. Any reasonable observer would see that as reckless and dangerous. Public anger should have been directed squarely at those legislators.
But Trump could not resist. Instead of calmly pointing out the irresponsibility of the Democrats, he accused them of “seditious conspiracy” and reminded everyone that the ultimate punishment for such an offense is the death penalty. That was a gross exaggeration. It was unnecessary. And it shifted the spotlight from the Democrats’ misconduct to Trump’s rhetoric.
Once again, Trump gave away the high ground. He turned what should have been a winning issue into another controversy about his words. The Democrats, who should have been on the defensive, suddenly had the opportunity to play the victim. They took to the airwaves claiming that Trump had ordered their deaths. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly even absurdly linked Trump’s comments to the assassination of Charlie Kirk — a nonsensical connection that nevertheless gained traction because Trump had opened the door with his reckless language.
This is the Trump pattern. He takes a legitimate grievance, exaggerates it, and hands the advantage to his opponents. He did it when he called the press “the enemy of the people.” He did it when he suggested injecting disinfectant during the pandemic. He did it when he claimed the 2020 election was stolen without producing evidence that could stand up in court. Each time, he transforms a defensible position into a public relations disaster.
The irony is that Democrats themselves use dangerous and provocative language. They routinely call Trump a fascist, a Hitler‑like dictator who would destroy the Republic. Such rhetoric has motivated would‑be assassins. Yet instead of exposing that hypocrisy, Trump responds with words that allow Democrats to flip the narrative.
Why does he do it? Part of the answer lies in Trump’s personality. He thrives on confrontation. He believes that escalation shows strength. He equates moderation with weakness. But in politics, escalation often means losing the argument. The public tunes out the substance and focuses on the spectacle.
Another part of the answer is Trump’s inability to resist the spotlight. He cannot let a story develop without inserting himself into it. Even when Democrats are digging their own hole, Trump jumps in to make sure the cameras are on him. The result is predictable: the Democrats climb out, dust themselves off, and point to Trump as the problem.
Republicans should be frustrated. They know that discipline and message control win elections. They know that Democrats are vulnerable when they encourage lawlessness in the military. But they also know that Trump will not change. He will continue to punch himself in the nose, and the GOP will continue to bleed.
The tragedy is that Trump could have had the high ground. He could have calmly explained that military obedience is essential, that disputes over presidential authority belong in the courts, and that legislators encouraging disobedience are undermining national security. That would have put Democrats on the defensive. Instead, he exaggerated, threatened, and handed them the advantage.
So, the question remains: why does Trump keep saying things that work against him and the GOP? The answer is simple. He cannot help himself. He confuses bluster with strength, exaggeration with persuasion, and confrontation with victory. Until he learns that restraint can be more powerful than rage, he will continue to give Democrats the gift of his own self‑inflicted wounds.
So, there ‘tis.
Like burning your draft card in the 70’s, not following orders has consequences and one must be ready to accept them unless criminality, not patriotism, is your thing. Luckily I never had to make the choice between Canada and jail, missed it by one draft and a great lottery position in the last one.
In America, from the beginning, disobeying orders has been a hallmark in the American military forever. Even the Last Mohican grasped the concept in that writing. So has the punishments for being wrong about it. All these folks did was state the obvious rules that our soldiers learn on day one of their service, if not before. The rest was in Horist’s head, not in their words. He makes up their agenda, state of mind, and feelings. He hates when people “get inside his head,” but hypocritically does it to others all the time.
These folks making the statements are some of the best patriots we have. Unlike Captain Bonespur, most of these folks have given their entire lives to military service followed by public service. I respect and support each one and pray Bondi/Hegdrunk indict them. Can’t wait to see that show.
As this story came out, I was watching Civil War battles on left-wing, thinks they are smarter and superior to you, left winged PBS, to learn about the battle at the Crossroads of Cold Harbor, one I did not know.
I learned that after the devastating main assault at the Battle of Cold Harbor on June 3, 1864, many units of the Army of the Potomac effectively refused to obey orders to renew their attacks. Some just did it, others spoke out. This was the battle that earned Grant his nickname, “the bloody butcher.”
The initial, bloody Union charge which resulted in approximately 7,000 casualties in less than an hour. Even against the bloody lane at Antietam, that’s impressive. How brave those boys in blue (actually many colors, including grey, at that time) were. Even the South, knowing they won the battle, lost the war, tipped their hats in praise of that gallantry.
They died in waves, most in the first ten minutes. They stayed where they laid for days in the sweltering sun. Wounded and dead alike. Hardly anyone could cross the field and survive. One Northern flag bearer bore down upon the Southern earth works as the entire South stood up, pointed to his rear, waving, yelling, trying to tell him that he was the only one left. He turned, looked, no one was left. He walked back to his lines as the South cheered, and then the battle continued. The South had built new-style earthen works in the battle’s lull the night before and topped them with tree trunks so the trunks were above their heads, their guns stuck out tween the trunks and the earthen works. Very hard to get a bead on them. So successful that open field fighting became a thing of the past giving way to trench warfare from that moment on. Antietam may be the bloodiest, but Cold Harbor may have packed them in faster.
After the turkey shoot of a slaughter was over, Union General Grant ordered attacks be renewed wherever the enemy seemed most vulnerable. When these orders filtered down to the corps and division commanders, many simply ignored them or found ways to circumvent a second “wanton waste of life”.
A general reluctance spread through the ranks. One soldier was quoted as saying, “The army to a man refused to obey the order…”. Major General William F. “Baldy” Smith, commanding the XVIII Corps, called the renewal a “wanton waste of life” and ignored the order. Other commanders, like Winfield Scott Hancock, advised against it. Many soldiers felt it was less risky to disobey an order than to face certain death against the well-entrenched Confederate lines. One captain famously stated, “I will not take my regiment in another charge if Jesus Christ himself should order it!”. Instead of advancing, Union soldiers, who were pinned down, began furiously digging trenches with bayonets, cups, their bare hands, and whatever else they could find, using the bodies of their fallen comrades for cover in some cases.
Did they get court-martialed? Punishment by death? By 12:30 p.m. that day, Grant conceded that the attack was finished and ordered a suspension of further offensive operations.
Grant later wrote in his memoirs, “I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made.”
No one faced court martial or other punishment.
Tis American tradition for our military to stand up when terrible orders come down. Historically, it has been our tradition from the beginning. Yes, soldiers know they take their chances with the military justice system for doing this, and that ain’t no normal US court, but at Cold Harbor, where many from the North sewed their names on paper inside their uniforms the night before, anticipating the outcome that was sure to follow, knowing with certainty that you would die on the next charge as the 7,000 died in an hour on the first without inflicting much casualties at all, it almost seems prudent to protest that order.
These are all brave folks who served our nation admirably and do so still today. Like no one else, they have earned the right to speak these words and not be threatened with death for exercising free speech. And they spoke the truth, they did not speak of Trump or his actions, that’s up to the listener or reader, to infer BUT does not change the fact that bad orders should be disobeyed; it is our tradition.
That said, yeah, Trump going after patriots for speaking the truth seems like a loser on many levels from freedom of speech to service to, frankly, bravery. And since he called for their death —– yeah, seems pretty brave to me.
Frank,
There is a lot of difference between what happened in the civil War and what these 6 traitors did, I hope that you can see that following the orders Grant gave would have resulted in 1000’s of additional casualties with nothing to show for it. These Traitors are trying to sow dissention in the ranks which could endanger our national security, They should all be jailed for their conduct and made an example for areas political actions that should not enter especially by congressmen.
But they are committing a “seditious conspiracy” and should all be jailed for it. I am a former Army Captain and Company Commander who refused to follow illegal orders from higher ranking officers. My following those orders would have, at least in one case, resulted in the death or serious injury to soldier for no reason other than ego. All soldiers are given classes on this subject so all these dirtbags were doing was trying to stir up dissention in the ranks which would have endangered our country. Sedition is the only reason they would have done this.
They all need to go to jail for a very long time and have their names associated with Treason like Benedict Arnald.
Namer: Ty for your service and sacrifice. My Dad was Army, he followed orders and every the entire tank crew except him died. Couldn’t speak, viral infection from hell, wife and unborn child died as he went into the field hospital. Six months, three countries, two continents later, he reunited with my Mom but was haunted forever. Greatest generation for sure; man never swore but fought the wars demons for life. He said if he hadn’t been hit, he woulda decked that ignorant son of a bitch, officer or not. He got his creek before they crossed into Germany and entered the camps. Guess he escaped that horror.
All these folks did was use their 1A rights to repeat actual military doctrine that states unequivocally that all military personnel are obligated not to follow any illegal, unconstitutional, and/or order against regulations. If they tell you to shoot prisoners, you say NO. There is no seditious behavior in speaking the military’s code and the truth. Further, if they obey illegal orders, they are subject to punishment as well. .
In all honesty, I am not sure that my or your example fit that bill, but glad that they and you escaped harm for an order with no apparent reward.
While seems pretty tough to expect folks to make those calls, it’s the rules. So, damned if you say it’s illegal but damned if you follow illegal too. War is hell.
I hate him with every fiber of my being. VOTE OUT ALL REPUBLICANS!
I became a republican after Obama was elected 1st time. Know why? Because of the stupidity of Obama and Biden. So your comment is pretty incendiary to me. I was a Democrat most of my whole life ( now I’m 77) and now I wouldn’t vote for a Democrat if you paid me. There’s one exception however I like Sen. Fettermsn; He’s the only one that has his head screwed on properly and he probably should be a republican, but at least he is standing up in the Democratic Party as voice of reason.
Itsara: I have never met an “Itsara,” what words does it sound like? What a cool name. Are you really Thai or how did you come about that name?
Obama is clearly proven not stupid on his merits, accomplishments, and as President, on the statistics. May not be your cup of Cha Yen, but stupid — hardly. : Joe —– well, he was trained well. Come on Columbia and Harvard Scholar, stupid? Graduated with honors from both, stupid?
As President, I am sure you can find things you think are stupid. I know I can. But calling the man himself stupid? Not hardly..
I have been a Democrat my entire life, and worked heartily for them as a child. I have always lived in Red zones, voted for Reagan once, and many Republicans for state and local positions. Don’t think much about party at state and local levels, just the issues.
Fetterman is OK by me, glad he won. Head screwed on properly? Clinical Depression is not quite that, but glad he sought treatment and now practice advocacy for the disease. As long as he stays happy, he be ok by me.
While Nationally I vote overwhelmingly Democrat, tis the issues, programs, and policies that catch my fancy. Obama had some good ones, had difficulty dealing with you folks, and could have juiced the economy a little faster than his incredibly slow recovery.
He is also a very good man, not perfect, but a very good man.
Stop sucking up to the left wing media.