With 250 years of history behind us, Trump’s 45 predecessors left him a clear path for how to succeed in the presidency. If every president for more than two centuries avoided a particular activity, there was probably a good reason.
With narcissistic tendencies, Trump often seems to believe he is the smartest person in any room — even one that includes historical giants like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Rather than considering why certain presidential norms exist, he tends to dismiss his predecessors as “stupid” or “weak.” Trusting only his own political instincts, he barrels ahead like a bull in a china shop.
Breaking with precedent, Trump became the first president to attend an NBA Finals game.
The problems began as soon as the announcement was made. The massive security required for a presidential visit forced the cancellation of a free watch party outside Madison Square Garden. Those with tickets to the game, which cost between $3,800 and $161,000 each, were told they should arrive at least two hours early to clear security.
In one of the few times Trump has built unity in our divided nation, he managed to alienate the working class and the 1%. When his picture was shown at the remaining watch parties and at the Garden, he was roundly booed by both crowds. While almost anyone could have predicted this would happen in deep blue New York City, Trump probably never considered that this would be the reaction to his appearance at the game. Perhaps San Antonio would have been a better place for his visit.
Even worse, the most memorable image from his appearance is of him nodding off at the game. For a man who made much of calling Biden “Sleepy Joe,” this was further evidence that Trump’s attacks on opponents often amount to projection.
This was just the latest in a series of political misfires. Are these frequent lapses of judgment a result of the possible onset of cognitive decline, or has his political luck simply run out? I explore this further in the following article: A Presidency Built on Political Misfires
