Trump’s Day Just Got Worse

Donald Trump held a press conference in front of firefighters outside the White House and made a stunning admission: “I have some very severe problems.” The remark came as he was explaining that he doesn’t drink, smoke, or take drugs, but that he has “other problems” he doesn’t want to add to the list. The press conference unfolded against a backdrop of escalating global crises and worsening domestic economic data, and it quickly veered into bizarre tangents, attacks on political opponents, and dystopian policy pronouncements.

The Global and Economic Context Trump Ignored

While Trump was speaking, a cascade of serious developments was unfolding. Another tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz, bringing the total to 30 tankers struck by the IRGC since the beginning of October. Two more tankers were hit off the coast of Romania in the Black Sea — Romania is a NATO member. The Houthis struck the Saudi-backed government’s presidential palace in Aden with what is believed to be six missiles. The war in Ukraine continues to escalate, with Russia striking Ukraine’s energy sector and Ukraine retaliating by hitting Russian diesel refineries. North Korea tested more ballistic missiles from its nuclear-capable submarines.