Perhaps Trump's stunning levels of immunity from the consequences of his own actions are finally starting to come to an end.
Maybe.
However, I don't know anyone else who could have managed such a level of immunity from all that he has done wrong to the extent that Trump has managed. There are reasons for it, and I personally suspect that it has something to do with his dark charisma, as well as a uniquely American laxity towards people perceived to be doing whatever it obtain more money and power and make their fortune.
One way or the other, though, it seems that Trump has even exceeded what should have been the limits even by American standards. It really feels virtually impossible to me that anyone with an ounce of objectivity and integrity and intelligence can even still take this pathetic and astonishingly needy, petty, immature man-child seriously.
Yet, he is the elected face and voice of the United States, and sits in the Oval Office, arguably the most powerful position in the world. And despite his constant lies and manipulation and spewing hatred and sheer incompetency, he keeps getting resurrected, time and time again. It really is astonishing, the levels of depravity not just of this man, but of his cultish followers, who bend over backwards and truly do absurd mental gymnastics in order to justify this man and his actions.
Still, I guess there are limits to things. It seems like maybe, just maybe (and I do mean maybe) this whole reversing his course on releasing the Epstein Files might have finally compromised his seeming sense of invulnerability and infallibility by his previously loyal MAGA following. At least to a certain extent.
How much that will actually come into play remains anyone's guess. Frankly, I have my doubts that this will actually start to even really seriously compromise him. Hope that I'm wrong on that score, because I truly believe that no one should be held up to quite such lofty pillars. Nobody is perfect, and King Con Don is about as far from perfect as a person can get.
Yet, try telling that to the most cult-minded of his followers.
Even if it will not mark a reversal or an end to his very loyal, and very substantial, cult following, at least there is starting to be some pushback by Republicans. That is saying something, because for almost a decade now, the GOP has become the de facto Donald Trump party. They almost never step out of line with what he says and professes. And the few who did generally met with a bad fate, at least politically, as they were almost always forced to step down or were defeated in the next election cycle, such as Liz Cheney.
However, maybe his antics are starting to grow tiresome, even to Republican lawmakers.
I mean, most of us got tired of his bullshit a long, long time ago. But perhaps finally his immaturity and thin orange skin has worn thin on them, as well.
If so - and again, that's not certain by any measure - it is long overdue. He really was beginning to look like an actual dictator. Hell, he still could become one, truth be told. In fact, it feels like he has already, at least in some ways, achieved dictator status.
These are days which will be regarded with disgust in history. I am almost certain that those who now champion the orange man will deny, deny, deny that they ever followed or supported or enabled this pathetic excuse for a leader.
Right now, however, orange flavored Kool Aid still seems to be in, politically. So long as he has his core followers, it is difficult to see that really changing.
Anyway, back to the Republicans, who seem to finally be feeling a chance to actually criticize this man, their Dear Leader.
For once, his pettiness might just be growing a bit stale even for them, after Trump dismissed Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Friday, after she released an unflattering report on the state of the economy. It really feels like he has a sense of entitlement to get rid of anyone who does not immediately and unconditionally bow down to him, or try to bend over backwards, including outright lying, in order to make him look good.
Even Republicans are criticizing Trump's attempt to control the narrative, even though it seems obvious to one and all outside of the Trump White House (and perhaps the most disingenuous MAGA Congressional supporters and, of course, the MAGA cult itself. It is obvious that the on again off again tariff strategy has hurt the world economy, to say nothing of America's name and reputation around the globe. And other policies, perhaps particularly the tax benefits that will go to the very wealthiest Americans assuring that millions of Americans will lose their health insurance in the not-too-distant future, also hardly instill confidence.
Trump will never take ownership for anything even remotely unflattering or negative. And for a very long time, it seemed like his fellow Republicans were not merely hesitant, but downright paranoid to hold him accountable for anything, or to offer up even the smallest criticisms.
However, that may finally be changing. Here are some snippets from a recent article by Benedict Smith of MSN (see link below):
Cynthia Lummis, a Republican senator for Wyoming, told NBC News that deciding to sack Ms McEntarfer before establishing the accuracy of the employment figures was “kind of impetuous”.
“If the president is firing the statistician because he doesn’t like the numbers but they are accurate, then that’s a problem,” she continued.
A mild way to criticize him, perhaps. But the fact that it was a Republican offering any criticism may be a positive sign. Certainly, it was rare, at least until recently. But it was not the only criticism of Trump on this subject by a Republican lawmaker. According to the same article:
“It’s not the statistician’s fault if the numbers are accurate and that they’re not what the president had hoped for.”
Thom Tillis, who represents North Carolina, said: “If she was just fired because the president or whoever decided to fire the director just did it because they didn’t like the numbers, they ought to grow up”.
Wow.
Suggesting that it's time to grow up? That by a Republican?
Huh. Almost shocking.
Still one more relatively prominent Republican lawmaker also criticized the president on this, according to the same article:
Rand Paul, a Kentucky senator and former presidential primary contender, raised concerns about the politicisation of government data.
“We have to look somewhere for objective statistics. When the people providing the statistics are fired, it makes it much harder to make judgments that you know, the statistics won’t be politicised,” he said.
Finally.
It's about time.
Below is the link to the article from which I obtained all of the quotes used in this particular blog entry. Take a look:
Republicans tell Trump to ‘grow up’ after he sacks data chief Story by Benedict Smith • August 2, 2025 •
Republicans tell Trump to ‘grow up’ after he sacks data chief
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-tell-trump-to-grow-up-after-he-sacks-data-chief/ar-AA1JMRD4?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=7dd3edd86e934a83b66b618a4a318ecc&ei=14
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