Is he kidding?
Once viewed as a PR genius and master self-promoter, Donald Trump, committed a huge PR blunder today with his ham-handed demand that former chief strategist Steve Bannon apologize for "Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House," and publisher Henry Holt halt its release, which is slated for next week—or else face a lawsuit.
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Once the book is published, the president has every right to sue, but today's bluster only guarantees more sales for "Fire and Fury," which is already topping Amazon's list. Holt must be saying, "Bring it on."
The threatened lawsuit is only the latest in a series of escalating audacious moves by the president.
Things started heading south for the tweeter-in-chief last month with his out-of the blue decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. That move drew global condemnation from US allies and derailed the Israeli/Palestinian peace talks.
The president couldn't even leave well enough alone about his sole legislative achievement (corporate/high earner tax cuts), spending the Christmas break gabbing to Mar-a-Lago buddies and paying guests about the tons of tax money that he will save them.
Trump though went in full-frenzy today, coupling the Bannon slap with a threat to unleash federal prosecutors to enforce pot laws in the states that have legalized weed, and green-lighting offshore oil drilling off the coasts of Florida and California.
Almost lost in that torrent of news is Trump's decision to ban security aid to counter-terrorism ally and nuclear power Pakistan. A nuclear ISIS would make Little Rocket Man look like a piker.
The president's snap decisions on major policy decisions gives one the feeling that either he's out-of-control, or grasping at straws to divert the nation's attention from the major threat facing his administration: special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian meddling into the US election and the potential of Trump family collusion.
Trump may be feeling the heat. Who knows what he may do next?
One thing for certain: a cornered Trump is a dangerous Trump.
God help all of us.
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