Habemus Fraudam (bis)
When the Curia takes Donald Trump for a fool, Donald Trump mocks the Curia.
The U.S. president presents a complex persona: flamboyant and provocative on social media and in speeches, yet consistently courteous in person, even with adversaries. Public instances of him humiliating counterparts are rare, save for the notable Oval Office exchange with Zelensky. We confess to feeling a guilty pleasure seeing the khaki-clad blackmailer put in his place.
![[ Editorial ] Pow, the clown!](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_140,h_140,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep,g_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0787e72d-cb36-4e29-bbc2-675ece02be1a_988x749.png)
Why did the U.S. president share an AI-generated image of himself dressed as a pope? Dismissing it as reckless showmanship may overlook a calculated move. Antagonizing Catholics—a key electoral base—seems unlikely, especially with devout Catholics like Vice President JD Vance in his administration.
A concerted effort to discredit, echoing 2017
The U.S. establishment—the deep state—is reprising its playbook from Trump’s first term: framing his second administration as a corrupt autocracy, undermining it through incessant leaks and misleading narratives to stoke public fear and block the policies Trump was elected to enact.
Now better equipped than in 2017, backed by a committed team aligned with his goals, Trump shows no sign of bending to the clamor of a mainstream media marred by dwindling trust and reach. He seems determined to stay the course he has charted for his nation.