The Tribune

After the American election of 2016, most observers were simply stunned. Very few national commentators actually believed a candidate so obviously flawed as Donald Trump could win the presidency. Given his campaign’s unprecedented unpreparedness for assuming office, it’s clear Trump himself was surprised by his victory. And, almost immediately after he won, red flags went up.

One of the biggest concerns of both Republicans and Democrats after Trump’s victory was that he would actually believe he was elected to cater only to the ignorant whims of his “base”, which consisted principally of uneducated, disaffected white men. This is the base that has remained steadfastly behind Trump even as he blunders on, leading one of the most profoundly inept and corrupt administrations in anyone’s memory. This base represents about one-third of the U.S. electorate, is mostly Republican and scares the pants off that party’s elected officials as they try to figure out how to get re-elected without turning off almost everyone outside Trump’s base.

To inspire his supporters, Trump promised to roll back many of the free trade principles Republicans had supported for generations. He has long ranted about the evils of NAFTA and how China and other nations were fleecing naïve American leaders. Now, one of those post election red flags has been hoisted for all to see. Trump has begun a tariff-raising game of chicken with China, the single nation on earth one would think the U.S. should not trifle with. No one knows how or when this tit-for-tat will conclude, but very few serious economists see it ending well for the U.S. Even the venerable, conservative National Review has joined the chorus of criticism of Trump’s tariffs.

It is worth noting that despite Trump’s characteristic bluster about $50 billion and even $100 billion tariffs, none has yet gone into effect. There are reports of behind the scenes talks with Beijing, so some hope persists that a greater crisis will be averted. Trump’s continuing misadventures nonetheless make many yearn for his departure.

While this was going on, another of Trump’s cabinet appointees may be headed for the exit door. This confirms for many observers the initial concern that Trump would be unable to assemble a cadre of competent cabinet members and other senior officials to act as stewards of the public interest during his administration.

Scott Pruitt made his political reputation as Attorney General of Oklahoma by frequently suing the federal Environmental Protection Agency, mostly to protect the interests of the oil and gas industry whose business significantly underwrites the economy of Oklahoma. Now, as Pruitt officiates as EPA administrator in Washington, he is blithely continuing the same habits, while adding a patina of careless corruption that sets him apart even from his cabinet colleagues.

In a lead editorial over the weekend, The Washington Post itemized his misdeeds, under the headline “Mr. Pruitt is Unfit to Serve”. The paper listed several of his disqualifying actions: He lived for several months in an apartment on Capitol Hill owned by the wife of a prominent lobbyist whose clients reportedly received favourable EPA decisions. Pruitt apparently paid $50 per night for staying there, but only for those nights he actually used the place. One might normally expect to pay five to ten times that price for such accommodations.

Pruitt, like former health and human services secretary Tom Price, also seems to like first-class commercial and private jet travel. He even proposed that EPA entertain a $100,000 per month air charter agreement to facilitate such travel. The agency officials who opposed this were demoted, along with several other senior personnel who resisted his zany and self-serving ideas.

As if that were not enough, Pruitt and the EPA may be about to engage in a costly and corrosive legal battle with the largest American state over fuel emissions standards for new automobiles. California is set to defy the EPA if it tries to compel a roll back of some environmentally friendly regulations. Pruitt could soon be put out of his job.

So the U.S. is in an active trade war it cannot win and another cabinet member is heading for the door in disgrace.

What will Donald Trump come up with next?