Obvious Signs of Wag the Dog as Trump Turns Up Heat on Iran

Got this picture of a Donald Trump Tweet from some years back, which was posted by former Pearl Jam drummer David Abbruzzese (see link below).

In it, you can see that Donald Trump (in the blessed days before he was ever elected president) understands the strategy that world leaders sometimes have employed. You know the one: their poll numbers are low, everything seems to be going terribly, so suddenly, a war is orchestrated to try and distract people and get a boost in their support.

That tactic has come to be known as "Wag the Dog," after a movie in the late 1990's, where a fictional president did exactly that.

Do you notice some similarities here? Trump criticized Obama, who had low poll numbers and needed a boost. 

Now, it's Trump's approval ratings which have taken a beating. Despite his claims to the contrary, the price of groceries, of eggs, and of gas have not been lowered. In fact, the conflict between Israel and Iran seems likely to raise the prices further, if anything. Also, his support is slipping even on his strongest issue of immigration. Sending the American military into American cities certainly is theatrical, but it might be viewed as a serious overreach, even by some Trump supporters (although who knows, right?).

In any case, Trump's time in the White House since January has been predictably tumultuous. He has been losing support, and the number of people disapproving of his handling of the job is greater than the percentage of people who still support him. Plus, that military parade last weekend was an absolute disaster.

So now, surprise, surprise! Trump pulls out of the G-7 summit early, claiming that there is something truly huge. And now, it seems like we might be going to war in Iran. Because you know, we have had such a glorious history of success in recent wars in the Middle East, right?

Didn't King Con Don once take pride in keeping us out of such wars?

What a sick joke this presidency is. Too bad that this country collectively decided to play that joke on ourselves, and with the whole world watching.

How humiliating as an American.

David Abbruzzese, posted on Facebook page, June 18, 2025:

I didn't verify this, but I have seen it all over the place. It has been verified by others.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10165932564123508&set=a.65227178507