Trump immigration policy rattles hospitality industry

An article in The Guardian by Michael Sainato called “Trump’s immigration siege is rattling hospitality industry, workers say,” is not an unsurprising piece of news. The subheading tells more:
“Unite Here, the US’s largest hospitality workers’ union, says ICE crackdown is harming tourism and costing jobs.” Here are a few paragraphs:

“Donald Trump’s immigration policies are having a chilling effect on the hospitality industry, where nearly a third of workers are immigrants, according to the largest hospitality union in the US.

The number of employed hospitality workers dropped by 98,000 from December 2024 to December 2025, according to a report from Unite Here, which represents 300,000 workers across the hospitality, food and tourism industries in the US and Canada.

Union leaders say the Trump administration’s brutal immigration crackdown has not only scared workers but has also discouraged international tourism. The US saw a decline of $1.2bn, or a 5.5% drop, in tourism revenue from September 2024 to September 2025, according to the report.

‘We need immigrant workers. They’re an important part of our workforce. They’re my members, they’re my neighbors, and the way they’ve been treated in this time is really abhorrent,’ said Wade Lüneburg, political director for Unite Here Local 17 in Minneapolis, which represents 6,000 workers in Minnesota, including workers at the Minneapolis-St Paul international airport.”

A number I read a few years ago said immigration is accretive to the US economy at a rate of $86 billion per annum. I do not remember the source, but the point is more than several industries tap both documented and undocumented immigrants in their businesses. Cutting undocumented without due process, planning or transition and in a heavy handed manner has an echo effect. Tourism is down, for example, so that impacts travel and hospitality industries.

View of US international impact from a retired British civil servant

The following is provided by a British blogging friend who had over thirty years as a civil servant. I find people outside the US offer a fresher perspective on our elected officials. I will let you draw your own conclusions.

“One of the yardsticks by which US presidents of the 20th & 21st centuries are measured would naturally be by their International Impact and the manner of their dealings with other nations.

In recent decades:

-Kennedy faced down The USSR over Cuba and Berlin
-Johnson’s efforts for Civil Right and Social reform are blanketed out by the Vietnam War and the bilious ravings of conspiracy junkies still hooked on Kennedy’s death.
-Nixon gets something of a free pass because he was on watch when the Vietnam War ended and the USA and China started talking.
-Bush snr gets a thumbs up because whereas the US intervened to halt Iraq he kept the USA out of their (which was hard luck on the Marsh Arabs)
-Bush jnr in his own way tried to unite the USA but will be remembered for miring the USA in Iraq and Afghanistan.


All these actions were taken as part of thought-out policies and/ or adherence to the political doctrine of the time and for better or for worse had a line which is understandable when set against the backdrop of the long histories of International Relations, Regime Change, Soft Power, Hard Power and so forth. And the world took notice, said to itself ‘This is America- again’ and carried on as before, satisfied that as long as it wasn’t directly happening to them. All was…OK (sort of).

Trump however runs around like toddler who has had too much sugar or a teenager after their first few drinks; on second thoughts much like the guys at the end of the bar everyone avoids. He rants, he raves, he displays petulance, ill judgement, has a very short attention span and very poor perception. He is a danger, and one wonders if should be get too near to those nuclear codes would there be some ‘intervention’ as he had taken a step too far (not that we will ever know).

And as said before he has poked a stick into the militarily quiet herd that are European nations who now realising they no longer have a sort of friendship with the USA will start to strike out on their on, and might not be around when the USA needs them. The damage he has caused there will vibrate down the decades only to be seen in its full troubling scope in later decades.

I do wish the media would stop referring to it as the Trump New World order, for there is no order only the careering around that would be the traditional province of one of the less balanced Third World dictators (Idi Amin comes to mind).”

I shared the above with a retired US financial executive who I have cited before. His brief response is as follows:

”Idi Amin ? Whoa-ah , THAT’S strong ! But the overall message rings true. This guy has no “grand strategy” and those who attribute such nonsense to his intellect and “leadership” must be delusional . How can they credit him with such ?”

I also shared this with our friend Jill. Not knowing this came from our astute friend Roger, here is what she said:

”I think that what your Brit friend says is spot on and is the view of many of our friends from across the pond, such as David, Roger, Pete, and others.. Past presidents made mistakes, yet, but they were mistakes based on lack of information or poor judgement at the time. The mistakes Trump is making are intentional and cruel. He truly seems to believe he can ‘rule the world.’ The sad part … nay, the tragic part is that when it all finally comes crashing down … and it will … it is the people of the world who will pay the price … every single one of us will pay for his perfidy. The Brits already see this, but too many in this country are still wearing blinders. Thanks for sharing your blogging friend’s thoughts, Keith …”

I include these two responses with Roger’s observations as I have long found all three to offer reasoned observations. We have many problems on our planet, but they are made far worse by a faux-populist US president who wants to rule the world funded by his Robber Baron friends. He sees his followers as useful foils to that end. They just don’t realize it.

Four Presidents comment on Reverend Jesse Jackson

An American icon and a first hand link to the teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. – Reverend Jesse Jackson – has passed. Per The Guardian, “Three Democratic former presidents led a wealth of tributes to Jesse Jackson, a ‘titan’ of the civil rights movement and ‘one of America’s greatest patriots’ who has died at the age of 84.

Joe Biden said history would remember Jackson as ‘a man of God and of the people’, calling him in a social media post: ‘Determined and tenacious. Unafraid of the work to redeem the soul of our Nation.’

Biden added: ‘I’ve seen how Reverend Jackson has helped lead our Nation forward through tumult and triumph. He’s done it with optimism, and a relentless insistence on what is right and just.’….

Barack Obama called Jackson ‘a true giant’ in a statement posted on Instagram.

‘For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history. From organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect,’ he said….

‘Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders. We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson family and everyone in Chicago and beyond who knew and loved him,’ he said….

Bill Clinton said he and former first lady Hillary Clinton were friends with Jackson for more than five decades, and were ‘deeply saddened’ by his passing.

‘Reverend Jackson championed human dignity and helped create opportunities for countless people to live better lives,’ he said in a statementon Instagram.

‘[He] never stopped working for a better America with brighter tomorrows, including his historic campaigns for the presidency in 1984 and 1988 in which he championed the concerns of Black, Latino, Asian, and lower income white Americans.’….

Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social social media platform, called Jackson ‘a good man’ and a ‘friend’, also noting he had provided office space in New York for Jackson’s Rainbow Push Coalition.

Trump’s post, as is often the case, quickly turned political, and about himself. The president attacked the ‘scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left’ who, he said, ‘falsely and consistently’ called him a racist, and sought recognition for ‘funding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which Jesse loved’.“

It should be noted that Trump gave a Presidential Freedom medal to a famous radio broadcaster who routinely mocked Jesse Jackson on his show. Why this divisive broadcaster was so honored is another story. Many have come out with plaudits for the life of service for Jackson. Unlike the incumbent president, these commentators did not denigrate others in so doing. I include his message because he did say a couple of kind words for Jackson before he segued.

Jackson stood up for people. We should never forget that key. To some critics, his oratory deflected from his messaging, but at his heart he was a preacher, so speaking poetically should not be frowned upon, in my view. May he RIP.

Consummate actor Robert Duvall passes away

Per The Guardian, “Robert Duvall, the veteran actor who had a string of roles in classic American films including Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, M*A*S*H and To Kill a Mockingbird, has died aged 95.

‘Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort,’ wrote his wife, Luciana Duvall, in a message on Facebook.

‘To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything. His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all.’

Duvall was perhaps best known for his role as the cavalry-hatted Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, released in 1979, which yielded two of the most frequently quoted lines of dialogue in cinema history – ‘Charlie don’t surf!’ and ‘I love the smell of napalm in the morning’. But he also made an immense impact as the consigliere Tom Hagen in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II, the reclusive Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird at the start of his career, and many supporting and character roles throughout the ensuing decades. He was nominated seven times for an Oscar, winning once, for best actor in 1984 for Tender Mercies as a country-music singer trying to overcome alcoholism.”

I remember all of these movies and more. “A Civil Action” with John Travolta was an excellent movie on a company who knowingly poisoned the water supply, but bankrupted the attorney pursuing them. “Secondhand Lions” with Michael Caine was about tall-telling retirees who make you smile with their pearls of wisdom. I had forgotten he was in the movie “Mash” playing Frank Burns opposite Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould. And, I had forgotten he was the bad guy Ned Pepper in “True Grit,” opposite John Wayne, Kim Darby and Glen Campbell.

But, as Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” he saved the lives of Scout and Jem from the man who wanted to punish their father for trying to save a Black man from conviction for a crime the assailant committed. Duvall played the learning disabled Boo to perfection.

Let me close with a favorite scene as the family attorney in “The Godfather,” as he quickly eats his dinner before the film director (who is black balling Vito Corleone’s God son) erupts in anger at his request. My thinking is he knows he won’t get to eat before his flight back as well as anticipating the director’s eruption. Fans of the movie know what happens after he leaves.

Bipartisan condemnation of Trump’s attacks on allies

An article by Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic Editor of The Guardian called “Republicans and Democrats unite to condemn Trump’s attacks on allies” is a welcome piece. The subheadline hits home: “American politicians break rank at Munich Security Conference to hit out at ‘destructive’ president and urge Europe to stand up to Trump.”

Here is more of the story:

“Donald Trump’s most unbridled critics at this weekend’s Munich Security Conference have not been Europeans but Americans – and not just Democrat politicians.

A few Republicans, out of earshot of the US president’s favoured Fox News, have had the courage to challenge Trump’s diet of tariffs and unpredictability.

The criticism ends what little remained of the tradition that the US delegation to the conference limits criticism of the commander in chief abroad.

The attacks came thick and fast as Democrats vied to disown Trump, or, in the case of Hillary Clinton, the former US secretary of state, to urge Europe that Trump’s chief weapon – perceived unpredictability – can be neutered by consistent push back.

In the case of Greenland she said the resistance ‘worked because a critical mass of our allies said ‘no, not like, we will negotiate. We’ll do this. We will do that’. There was a well-presented opposition that said No. I hope what people are understanding is that unpredictability is uncomfortable, but it is important to arrive at a response and stick with it because that affects whether a leader thinks he can proceed … With Trump the question is, don’t doubt what he wants to do. Try to figure out how to stop him from doing it. Don’t debate what his intention is because he is telling you what his intention is. He may or may not be able to achieve it, but that is up to forces outside of him.’

Gavin Newsom, the Democrat governor of California, accused Trump of ‘doubling down on stupid’. He said: ‘Never in the history of the US has there been a more destructive president than the current occupant of the White House in Washington. He is trying to recreate the 19th century. He is a wholly owned subsidiary of big oil gas and coal.’”

There is really not much to add. I am enthused by the pushback on the incumbent president as I agree with what is said above. Sadly, there are even more reasons to consider in pushing back.

Between you, me and the lamp post

I sent a variation of the following note to a Democrat elected official that I know whose daughter is a Republican state representative. The daughter, who used to baby sit for us with her sister, is running for office again.

As an independent voter and former member of both parties, your daughter’s recent TV commercial does not play well with me. I wrote this as a comment to a blog on Trump being an anchor to his party’s future election chances not to mention what has transpired over the last few months with several unexpected Democrat wins in Trump held districts. The Democrats won because they ran good candidates who talked about kitchen table economics.

Here is the comment:

“I was just thinking today how a Republican state legislator wants to be sent back to the state capitol to continue to fight inflation and the radical left. Two reactions: 1) What can a state legislator do to fight inflation? 2) the “radical” concern in our country is supporting an incumbent president who flouts the law and often breaks his oath to the constitution, who has made the US an untrustworthy trading partner and who has made us a rogue nation by denigrating and bullying other countries. Call me crazy, but that seems pretty radical to me vs someone who is merely standing up for people’s rights.”

I am sending this to you as we need a peaceful resolution to “firing” the US president and select others via impeachment and conviction for their violations of the law and constitution. It has to involve Republicans, as twenty Republican senators are needed for a 2/3 vote and the sycophantic Speaker of the House has to be pressured to call a vote. With your daughter having been a Democrat, maybe she could be beseeched to help for a nobler cause. It is not too late for her to alter her focus.

We independents are disillusioned and craving governance as we are not getting it. What Trump, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, Pete Hegseth, et al are doing to our country as they thumb their noses at citizens, Congress and Judges is disgraceful. Bondi’s testimony the other day was particularly shameful as she is supposed to be the AG. We truly deserve better than this and are so worried about our country. Editorialist Robert Reich’s letter to Kristi Noem is on point.

And, if it helps, tell your daughter I was a Republican for 25+ years before I changed to an independent around 2008. The RINO is the incumbent president, not the people who give a damn like Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Michael Steele, Rick Wilson, Steve Schmidt, David Brooks, George Will, et al. Even Senator Thom Tillis is pushing back more.

Lest we forget

The following email (with the above title) was sent to me by my retired financial executive friend. He has tirelessly tried to convince a few MAGA friends that their fealty to the incumbent president is not steeped in the truth or facts. Here are a few of his encapsulating thoughts:

“OR , The More Memorable Quips , Actions and Social Posts of the Trump Era :

OR , 47 reasons you might THINK you have TDS 😁


1. You’re fired. 2. You can just grab ’em by the pu— . 3. I’ll end the war in Ukraine Day One . 3. She’s got a horse-face . 4. Stalking Hillary on debate stage . 5. Love letters to Rocket Man . 6. How about a syringe of Lysol and a very bright light ? 7. 130 drug runners blasted to smithereens in international waters . 8. He’s just a no-talent loser ( pick a guy ). 9. Demolishing the East Wing with no construction plans . 10. I cut some drug prices 6,000% ( ‘splain how ?).

11. His inept Bible reading technique . 12. Chief-of-Staff Marine Corps General Kelly said he was the most unfit person for the office of POTUS he’d ever known . 13. General Mad-Dog Mattis agreed . 14. The abduction of a foreign country’s president , and his wife . 15. And then maybe a good idea to do the same in Colombia. 16. Over a hundred social posts in a night many times . 17. The Obama “monkeys” slipped out , oops ! 18. They’re all shi- hole countries . 19. The alienation of all our allies. 20. So we’re going to make Canada our 51st state now .

21. You all go march down there on the Capitol and fight like Hell or you won’t have a country ! 22. I’ll be there with you . 23 . Getting played constantly by both Putin and Xi . 24. A non-targeted and not worst-of-the-worst as promised deportation tactics . 25. We’ll get Greenland , the easy way or the hard way . 26. The pitiful jobs market of 2025 after four years of growth. 27. Taking credit for decreases in crime rates though the decrease slope remains the same since Covid . 28. I passed my mental physical with flying colors , maybe the best results ever , stuff of genius . 29. Cabinet picks Hegeseth , Kennedy , Noem , Patel and Gabbard for starters. 30. He’s a sleaze ( pick one ).

31. The inexplicable tariff games and all the business and economic uncertainties they create as they swing about helter-skelter . 32. The new global trade partnerships driven by those petulant tariffs with China making huge strides in uncoupling from , and being less dependent on , the U.S. markets . 33. Imported beef from Argentina to fight inflation but taking away a good year from American ranchers . 34. Having to bail out the farmers who lost their export business due to the tariffs , reminding some of those numerous unsuccessful USSR five year agricultural plans . 35. Tulsi , you get your sweet ass down to Georgia now and find those damn’ 12,000 votes ! 36. The Kennedy Fine Arts Performing Arts Center becoming the Trump-Kennedy NON- Performing Arts Center. 37. I know more about war than all MY generals ! 38. I stopped eight wars so deserve the Nobel more than anybody , EVER . 39 . And so where shall I display that other person’s Nobel , among the other tacky gilt in my Oval Office ? 40 . Wanna’ buy a Trump toy train set ? A watch , Christmas tree , steaks , cell phone , meme coins? A seat on the Trump Peace Board for a billion dollars or a gold visa for one million USD ? Everything is transactional and has a price . Did I mention pardons , official Get Out of Jail cards , are an actual “thing ” ?

41. I never , ever , heard of Project 25. 42. Ford takes a $ 900 million tariff hit ! 43. Drill , baby , drill …even if global oil supply/demand are in balance and oil prices don’t warrant investment for expansion . Another USSR five year plan ? 44. Wrestling is coming to the White House Lawn and NASCAR is going to be racing across the 14th Street Bridge . 45.
My gut instincts tell me that climate change is a hoax , fake news , that the poles and mountain peaks are not melting and sea levels are not rising . Just look how cold it’s been this winter ! And wind power turbines are so ugly out on the sea’s horizon beyond hole # 16 . 46. Never before have grand juries refused to take up so many cases brought by the DOJ . 47 . BUT Trump WAS found guilty of 34 felony charges and 1 sexual assault charge , by juries of his peers ( sorta’) .

It kind of blows your mind when you try to absorb an overview like this not-yet-completed listing of Trump-era memories .“

I recognize there are many more, but I think he had the number 47 in mind. By the way, just to add more gravitas to his opinion, he was on a Business Advisory group to a Governor of North Carolina. Please let me know your thoughts.

A couple of Axios paragraphs on an anchor

A friend sent me a link to an Axios newsletter. Here are two paragraphs on the feed that caught my eye.

“Top Republicans are increasingly worried about private polling that paints a dire picture of the midterms — and it’s not just the House they’re afraid of losing, it’s also the Senate.”

“NRSC chair Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) delivered a sobering message to his GOP colleagues Tuesday at a closed-door, off-campus briefing on how Democrats’ six-point lead on the generic ballot could translate into individual midterm Senate races.”

If these polls prove prescient, they would tie into Democrat successes in recent special and November elections, even in Republican strongholds. It would also reinforce the idea that the incumbent president is an anchor for the party. By linking their chain to him, they are sinking their efforts.

Bless his heart – one more unforced Trump error

An article by Leyland Cecco in The Guardian called “Mark Carney reminds Trump that Canada paid for key border bridge US president says he won’t open,” captures yet one more unforced error by the incumbent president. Bless his heart. The subtitle adds even more:

“Trump earlier had ranted against bridge and also warned that China would ‘terminate’ hockey in Canada.” Really? China had concerns about Canadian hockey? Excuse Mr. Trump, but China is not that stupid. Here are a few paragraphs:

“Mark Carney said he had held a ‘positive’ conversation with Donald Trump after the US leader threatened to block a new key bridge between their two countries, reminding the president that Canada paid for the structure – and that the US shares ownership.

Late on Monday, Trump posted a lengthy message on social media, falsely claiming that the $4.6bn Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, had ‘virtually no US content.’ The bridge is due to open in early 2026….

Trump blamed his predecessor Barack Obama for ‘stupidl’ approving the bridge project. But the former Conservative MP Jeff Watson pointed out ‘construction began in earnest in your first term as President … Back then you called for expeditious construction’ of the bridge.

‘It’s just insane, when I read that post I can’t believe what I’m reading, but it’s par for the course,’ the Windsor mayor, Drew Dilkens, told CBC News.

Since winning a second term, Trump has focused much of his attention and outrage on Canada, replaying many of his longstanding grievances in meandering social media posts, including frustration with the dairy industry and China.”

It amazes me how often Trump name calls others. By itself, that tells you his argument is poor. But, there are two points in the above that jump out – “falsely claims” and “par for the course.” Falsely claims is a standard disclaimer for much of what Trump says. Par for the course is a plain spoken way of saying modus operandi. Saying inane things is not unusual for the incumbent president. Bless his heart.

Note: Call me stupid, but bridges between countries promote mutual commerce through trade, transport and tourisms. I have been to Canada several times and it seems there are many cars going in both directions. My guess is these folks are spending money somewhere.

Tillis vs. The Trump Administration

Thom Tillis vs. the Trump administration

By Frank Bruni

******************
“What does it look and sound like when a Republican lawmaker who has mostly been a cheerleader for Team Trump trades his pompoms for a shiv?

Senator Thom Tillis is showing us. And it’s a glorious spectacle.

In a recent exchange with reporters in Washington, the North Carolina Republican didn’t merely say that Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, had made “amateurish” mistakes. He stressed that he couldn’t think of a single thing she’d done over the past year that she can be proud of.

His appraisal of another senior administration official was no gentler. ‘Stephen Miller never fails to live up to my expectations of incompetence,’ Tillis said.

But the real beauty? The sign that Tillis was uncapping a deep well of disgust and reveling in the release? He composed an ornate, irate social media post of roughly 200 words in which he expounded on the meaning of ‘sycophant’ and explained why the slur fit Miller and Noem so snugly.

‘Common Synonyms: toady, flunky, bootlicker,’ Tillis wrote. He invoked ‘The Lord of the Rings’ movie trilogy to assert that Miller resembles Grima Wormtongue, who ‘uses his position to poison a leader’s standing for his own benefit.’ Tillis added that Noem is a ringer for Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter movies, who ‘sucks up to authority to gain the power she needs to bully those ‘beneath’ her.’

There’s going rogue, and then there’s going rogue with a thesaurus in one hand and a movie glossary in the other. Tillis seems intent on making his complaints about the Trump administration’s errors and overreach as memorable as possible.

He also seems to be having a blast.

There he was on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday morning, mischief in his voice as he called the Justice Department’s investigation of Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve Board, ‘frivolous,’ ‘vindictive’ and ‘trumped-up.’

And there he was on Politico’s ‘The Conversation’ the week before that, his eyes twinkling as he mused about the bafflingly low profile and dubious utility of Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence. ‘I don’t know if she’s in, like, the F.B.I. witness protection program,’ he said.

He’s sassing. He’s smiling. The liberation of a conscience does wonders for a man.

Partial liberation, I should say. Even now, Tillis focuses most of his pique on the people around President Trump rather than the president himself, who’s the victim, in Tillis’s telling, of ‘bad advice.’ And Tillis goes out of his way to cast his candor as faithful service to Trump and the Republican Party, which could suffer a serious setback in the midterm elections.

‘I want this president to be the most successful Republican president in the history of this country,’ he said on ‘The Conversation.’ ‘His success is intrinsically linked to the success of Republicans this November.’

Tillis, 65, is no profile in unfettered courage. He’s in the final year of his second term and not running for re-election, so he needn’t worry about some ultra-MAGA hellion taking him on in a primary and getting Trump’s endorsement.

He also bears some responsibility for all the damage the Trump administration has done. He voted to confirm Noem, Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Kash Patel and, most notoriously, Pete Hegseth, whose bid to become defense secretary Tillis reportedly tried to scuttle until Trump made the magnitude of his displeasure with that clear.

But over recent weeks, Tillis has reconnected with a past version of himself, the spirited maverick who found common cause with Democrats and emphasized common sense over strident partisanship. It’s a version that he never fully interred: After Trump pardoned rioters who invaded the U.S. Capitol and assaulted law enforcement officers on Jan. 6, 2021, Tillis gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor protesting that decision.

But that spasm of rebellion was nothing like Tillis’s current tear. On ‘The Conversation,’ he questioned the logic of many of the tariffs Trump imposed, harshly criticized the president’s huffing and puffing about Greenland, fretted over Trump’s estrangement of Canada and the European Union, and said that ‘anybody who thinks that NATO is passé and should go doesn’t understand the democratic world order.’

He also said that if the Justice Department is going to torment Powell for supposedly spending too lavishly on renovations of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters, ‘then I want to see the details of the East Wing cost, maybe even the cost of the Qatar jet, upfitting it to be a fake Air Force One.’

‘I mean, we can go all over the place if we want to start talking about efficiency,’ Tillis added.

Dasha Burns, the host of ‘The Conversation,’ noted that Trump had called Tillis and Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, “losers” for having denigrated Noem. Burns asked Tillis for his response.

He shrugged off the insult, saying it was the stuff of ‘junior high school,’ and likened it to “arm farts.”

I’ve heard some political observers speculate that Tillis is selfishly looking ahead to a post-Trump era when Republicans who raised alarms about the president’s policies and conduct will be rewarded for that or at least judged more kindly by history. Maybe so.

But Tillis will certainly have to weather ample ugliness from the MAGA faithful in the meantime. Just ask Mitt Romney, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger. So I choose to compliment him. To thank him. And to hope that his example encourages some of the toadies, flunkies and bootlickers in the halls of Congress to rethink their sycophancy.”

I called Tillis and left him a two-part message. First, I thanked him for being more critical of the White House Administration. Second, I reiterated early comments that in all my years of consulting, I have observed organizations take on the personality of their leader. The leader sets the bar on bad and good behavior. Trump’s people name call, label, bully, lie and act rashly because their boss does all those things. It really is that simple. Just listen to a part of the embarrassing and vitriolic comments made yesterday by the Attorney General under oath.