AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Brian Karem, a White House columnist for Salon, in an article titled "Reflections on the Endless Pool of Trump's Corruption," launched harsh attacks against the U.S. President, portraying him as a symbol of corruption, discrimination, and incompetence in the country's political structure.
Referring to the case of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool renovation, he considers this case an example of the Trump administration's behavior. The story was that the Trump administration renovated the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool at a cost of about $14 million. After the project was completed, problems emerged, including green water due to algae growth and the separation of the pool's lining.
David "Davey" Hearn, a former Olympic rower, stopped by the pool while cycling on June 19. He said he noticed that part of the pool's lining had separated and was in the water; he removed his glove and touched that part. Hearn says he had no intention of damaging anything and did not tear anything from the floor.
The office of Jeannine Pirro, the federal prosecutor for Washington, initially claimed that Hearn had intentionally torn about two square feet of the pool's lining with his hands and damaged it. A grand jury also indicted him on charges of damaging federal property; a charge that could carry up to 10 years in prison.
Trump also took a very harsh stance from the beginning, calling for tough action against "vandals." The author believes this case shows that in the Trump administration, "they accuse first, then investigate," and then, when contradictions emerge, they resort to threats and denial.
Karem also criticized Trump's foreign policy, claiming that his administration, through war, attacks on various targets, and disregard for America's allies, has increasingly isolated the country.
In another part of the article, he describes America's domestic situation as critical, writing that on the surface, Congress, the courts, and the markets continue to function, but beneath this surface, according to him, greed, corruption, and political paralysis have engulfed the country's institutions.
The columnist also accuses Trump of using the presidency for financial gain, writing that in the current administration, "there is no principle other than making money, and no value that cannot be measured in dollars."
Karem concludes by emphasizing that America's problem is not merely Donald Trump, and the crisis is deeper than one individual; nevertheless, he warns that if Democrats do not gain decisive control of Congress in the fall elections, the likelihood of removing Trump will be very low.
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