"But the high road is not one that Trump ever wants to walk down. He prefers more subterranean paths. In his address to the 60,000-strong crowd, the president said that Kirk "did not hate his opponents. He wanted the best for them." So far, so standard. Then Trump swerved: "That's where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent and I don't want the best for them.""
"Whatever their distastefulness, these bitter words have the virtue of honesty. Indeed, they offer a key to Trump's entire presidency. Rather than governing on behalf of the nation as a whole, he has been guided by the principle that presidential power is about helping friends and punishing enemies. Trump has been particularly eager to deploy law enforcement as a weapon against foes and a shield for allies, all with a view to shoring up his power."
Donald Trump openly expresses personal hatred for political opponents and prioritizes retribution over reconciliation, even at solemn events. At a large memorial in Arizona, Trump declared he hates his opponents and does not want the best for them. He treats presidential authority as a tool for rewarding allies and punishing foes, seeking to use law enforcement and prosecutorial power for partisan ends. On Saturday night he publicly demanded that Attorney General Pam Bondi pursue prosecutions of James Comey, Adam Schiff, and Letitia James and said he was naming Lindsey Halligan to a key prosecutor's office, illustrating attempts to corrupt legal institutions.
Read at The Nation
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