Trump is Inexcusably Appalling – But You Know That Already

Some of our leaders can show genuine compassion and empathy. Others can fake it. Trump can do neither.

About four weeks ago Nadia Murad was a guest of Trump in the Oval Office. Nadia is the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize for her campaign to end rape as a weapon of war. The NY Times reported that ISIS “forced Murad into sexual slavery when it overran Yazidi villages in northern Iraq in 2014. Murad lost her mother and six brothers, slaughtered by ISIS.”

Trump had an expressionless face the entire meeting while listening to Nadia Murad relate her story, contributing almost nothing to the conversation. Finally after Nadia told of the killing of her parents and six bothers Trump asked, “Where are they now?” She tells him they’re in a mass grave in Sinjar. Trump replies, “I know the area very well, you’re talking about. It’s tough.”

Finally, near the end of the meeting, Trump remembers Nadia received the Nobel Prize, and asks her, “They gave it to you for what reason?” It’s hard to image Trump was not briefed about all this before the meeting, but it’s as if he didn’t listen or didn’t care. He would just wing it.

Had Nadia been reading a fast food menu Trump would have been more engaged.

But it gets worse.

When Donald and Melania visited El Paso following the mass shooting last week, Melania posted a really weird photo on Twitter. Melania is smiling while holding a baby whose parents had been killed in the mass shooting. Donald is beside her, not just smiling but giving a thumbs-up. What on earth was going through his mind at the time?

When it comes to world leaders behaving inappropriately, this beats anything I’ve ever seen before.

Can Trump top it? I bet he can.