Divide and Conquer
3 min readOct 22, 2020
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union . . .”
With these words, the framers of the U.S. Constitution emphasized the need to overcome the disparate ideologies and “factions,” (which James Madison perceived as an ever-present threat) and instead pursue our noble, common destiny.
In contrast, Trump’s power is derived from dividing the country:
He punishes entire states who didn’t vote for him.
- Refusing to give federal disaster aid for California wildfires
- Suspending Global Entry, TSA Precheck programs for New Yorkers
- Withholding millions in federal COVID relief funds from “anarchist cities”
His words and rhetoric incite anger and hatred.
Words matter:
- The FBI thwarted a violent plot to kidnap and execute Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. The conspirators made repeated visits to her home and conducted training with firearms and explosive devices.
- Dr. Fauci (79) now needs federal bodyguards to protect him when he leaves his home after receiving credible threats from Trump supporters for making president look bad.
He “aids & abets” adversaries seeking to weaken us
- Former Trump National Security adviser H.R. McMaster accused Trump of “aiding and abetting” Russian efforts at election interference.
- The president uses the Oval Office to disseminate and amplify disinformation generated by our adversaries (before it has even been vetted).
- He is “far more influential in spreading disinformation than Russian trolls or Facebook clickbait artists”, according to a study from Harvard University.
- Donald Trump is biggest single driver of disinformation regarding the pandemic, according to a new study from Cornell University.
Trump does not represent America. Trump represents only Trump.
According to Retired General James Mattis,
The Nazi slogan for destroying us…was ‘Divide and Conquer’. Our American answer [was] In ‘Union there is Strength’
