The news is never dull when the world has too many leaders that do not embrace facts to address problems. This is not unique to the US, but is indicative when other fact-challenged leaders are called the British Trump, the Philippino Trump, the South American Trump.
A threat to other countries’ national security is being identified in a country on the other side of the world and other hemisphere. The Amazon rain forest produces 30% of the planet’s oxygen, absorbs huge amounts of carbon and creates countless medicines. Yet, it is burning out of control and more is being harvested when it is not. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, like Trump, says climate change is a hoax and is slow to act on the fires and wants to develop more of the rain forest. This is a major concern. The planet needs more trees, not fewer.
The UK is headed for a trainwreck which makes me incredibly sad. They are unfortunately being led by a man who promises to make Great Britain great again. Financial analysts have said from the outset that Brexit will be dilutive to the British economy. Companies are moving and will move EU headquarters and distribution centers to EU cities like Dublin, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, etc. because of Brexit. And, what would be even worse, in spite of assurances to the contrary by PM Boris Johnson, is a no deal Brexit. Picture semi-trucks lined up on both sides of the borders trying to get through. Picture the Scottish and Northern Irish parliaments taking serious votes for referndums to leave the UK and rejoin the EU.
Italy will be having a new vote after the PM resigned over conflicts with his popular populist number two had created a stir. Snap elections are not conducive to stability. Just ask Theresa May, who made a horrible unforced error, losing a lot of support when she overstated her appeal.
Let me close with the most fact-challenged person in a position of lesdership outside of Putin, Erdogan, Kim and other autocrats, the regal-minded Donald Trump. His former ally and short-lived Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, has started a group to assure Trump is not reelected saying Trump is “off the rails.” Sadly, I agree with The Mooch.
As Trump’s tariff and trade wars push the global and US ecomomy closer to recession right when the ten plus year old growth market is feeling its age, he is blaming everyone else. Yet, what he is up against is financial and non-financial news shows consistently referring to the dampening impact of the Trump tariffs and trade wars as a cause and concern.
These increasing temper tantrums (let’s call them what they are) fail to recognize the role he has played in this with poor decision-making and lying to support such. It was reported by two insiders yesterday that Trump was surprised by China’s response that morning. Really? So, the person in the White House is barking orders and calling the Fed Chair a greater enemy than Xi.
Harry Truman’s words “the buck stops here,” are words that we are unlikely to hear from this president. And, if you ever wonder what a narcissist is worried about, a key trait is to blame others with their own faults.
musingsofanoldfart 
Every day I wonder “Is this enough? Will this latest outrage finally move his base (and republicans in the senate) to realize Trump is harming this country?” Sadly so far, the answer has been “no.”
Janis, when Trump goes against the very grain of what the GOP used to stand for or common decency, the GOP leadership notices. Yet, they do not openly say what they think in private. They have aided and abetted in the creation of a monster who is now harder to contain. His “ordering” companies to get out of China is absurd. Even the US Chamber of Commerce condemned it. Trump said “we don’t need China.” There are very few business leaders who would agree with that statement. Keith
Note to Readers: Here is a good read from The New York Times on Trump’s handling of the economy: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-gyrating-economy-and-trumps-volatile-approach-to-it-raise-alarms/ar-AAGf7QO?ocid=spartandhp
Note to Readers: It should give little comfort to Brits that the US president supports a “no-deal Brexit.” In and of itself, that should raise alarms. People need to know Trump thinks in a zero-sum manner; if he wins, you lose. The concept of a deal where multiple parties do well is truly a foreign concept to him.