We just learned that President Donald Trump’s economy contracted in the first quarter. Trump unloaded twice over this bad news, attempting to blame Joe Biden for it. Meanwhile, some of Trump’s aides went full North Korea, bowing down before him and offering adulation in shockingly abject terms. So how long do Trump’s advisers think they can keep him in a protective cocoon, shielding him from the realities of his disastrous reign? We talked to New Republic senior editor Alex Shephard, who has a good new piece arguing that Trump’s unpopularity will only get worse due to basic structural facts about his presidency. He explains why the sycophancy of Trump’s aides is only working against him—and why insulating him against outside facts will only get harder and more damaging. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.
PODCAST
Trump Rages Wildly Over Humiliating GDP Data as Aides Soothe His Fury
As Trump seethes over the embarrassing news that the economy contracted, the author of a piece about his worsening popularity explains why his aides’ penchant for abject sycophancy is working against him.
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