"Reclaiming Sanity Starts With Us"

Only by understanding Trump will we be able to defeat him.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I know Donald Trump. I know him as well as he knows himself. I know what makes him tick, what makes him explode, and what keeps him up at night. And when I watch this country spiral into division, economic anxiety, and tribal warfare; thanks in large part to his recklessness, I don’t just see a political crisis. I see a national identity crisis. And the sad part? We walked right into it, blindfolded.

Let’s make something clear: while I don’t agree with Trump’s thug-like, mob boss, zero-sum style of negotiation, I do agree with the premise that China has been waging economic war against the United States for more than a decade. You don’t have to be a policy genius to see it; just look at our trade imbalance, IP theft, technological espionage. They’ve played the long game while we’ve been caught up in the chaos of cable news cycles and tweetstorms. So, yes; China’s a problem. But the solution isn't to turn your guns on your allies while your enemy circles the camp.

Which brings me to this question: Why is Trump attacking NATO, Canada, Germany, Japan; our economic and military allies, while playing footsie with dictators and adversaries? Because, in his twisted worldview, loyalty is transactional and alliances are weakness. He believes the only power worth having is the kind you can exploit, manipulate, or destroy.

Pessimism in America is at a staggering 73%. That’s not just an economic indicator; it’s a cultural barometer. We’re anxious. We’re uncertain. We’re facing a looming recession, ongoing trade wars, and a government more interested in blaming immigrants than solving real problems. And still, rather than lead, Trump bullies. Rather than unify, he antagonizes. All in the name of a fantasy where America “wins” at the expense of the world.

Here’s the real question; one I wrestle with daily: How do we do this together? How do we become one America, composed of all Americans, when we can’t even agree on what reality looks like?

The truth is, you don’t reverse Trump’s path with logic. That train left the station the moment he realized fear sells better than hope. Knowing Trump as well as I do, the course is set. It’s on autopilot now. He’ll double down. He’ll triple down if necessary. He always does. And when he does show signs of moderation, like the recent 90-day pause on tariffs, the media attacks him, calling it weak or inconsistent. His detractors pounce. And guess what that does? It forces him right back into the corner; fists up, ego inflated, having to play tough guy again.

We’re so polarized that even a strategic retreat; a necessary course correction, is framed as capitulation. So he digs in. He can’t look weak. Ever. His ego won’t permit it. That’s the Trump Doctrine in a nutshell: win, even if it means everyone else loses.

So what’s the recourse? It’s not wishful thinking. It’s not shouting on social media. It’s this: we must win the 2026 midterms and take back the House and the Senate. Only with a Democratic majority can we begin to undo the damage; both domestically and globally. We must restore integrity to our institutions, reaffirm our commitment to democratic norms, and reengage with our allies.

But; and here’s the part Democrats miss; winning requires more than policy papers and Twitter threads. It requires understanding Trump. And despite their smug certainty, most Democrats don’t. They don’t see the showman, the cult leader, the media manipulator who has turned political discourse into a reality show where facts don’t matter and loyalty trumps truth.

And that’s why those of us who do understand him; who’ve sat in the room while he strategized chaos, must speak out. Loudly. Consistently. And not just to each other.

It’s not enough to build echo chambers on MSNBC, CNN or progressive Twitter. We must go into the heart of red America; into rural towns, into evangelical churches, into the homes of people who voted for Trump not because they’re bad people, but because they were desperate. Because they were angry. Because they felt disenfranchised. Because they felt invisible.

If we can show them how Trump’s policies are hurting them; their farms, their businesses, their factories, their healthcare, their kids’ futures, we can begin to unravel the cult of personality he’s built. It’s hard. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s necessary.

Substack communities, independent media like

MeidasTouch Network

, podcasts like my Mea Culpa Podcast, newsletters; these are the weapons of the next political revolution. Town Halls like the one

Jim Acosta

and I are hosting on Tuesday in NYC called “The No Fear Tour”. Not to preach to the choir, but to convert the skeptics. To shine light where Fox News spreads darkness.

Look, I’m not asking you to forgive Trump. I sure as hell haven’t. But I am asking you to understand him; and to understand his appeal. Because until we do, we won’t defeat him. And defeating him means more than winning elections. It means healing a nation on the brink. It means making America decent again.

So let’s stop playing defense. Let’s stop being shocked. Let’s outthink, out-organize, and outvote. Because only then do we have a shot at reclaiming the soul of this country.

And this time, let’s not be disloyal to ourselves.

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