Time to Change Metaphors?

21st Century America Ain't Weimar Germany

Attempts to analyze the Trump presidency regularly rely clumsily on World War II metaphors, most frequently ones that describe how Hitler gained power because of a lack of determined resistance from within Germany or outside (think Chamberlain).

That view motivated millions of Americans to take to the streets earlier this month to memorialize their unhappiness.

Perhaps it was successful.

But I find a different World II template more compelling – one that says a shocked United States was disadvantaged briefly by a surprise attack, but rapidly pulled itself together to craft an overwhelming response that ultimately– with less speed and certainty than the allies would have liked– won total victory.

Yesterday our Supreme Court burned the midnight oil to issue an emergency ruling barring the deportation of Venezuelans the White House construes as an advance force sent by a Venezuelan government waging undeclared war on us (their version of Pearl Harbor?)

In the meantime, as two lower courts pursue contempt questions about the White House policy on deportations and we learn that Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia , whisked out of the country because of alleged gang membership was transferred a few days ago to a minimum security prison in El Salvador from the overpopulated maximum security institution and allowed to visit with his US Senator.

As Sen. Chris Von Hollen was pursuing his goal, our President Trump did a great imitation of a rowback when he said the issue of whether Abrego Garcia could be returned to the United States was a decision delegated to his lawyers, perhaps allowing the President extra time to focus on higher priorities like cleaning up the cultural offerings at the Kennedy center.

In a more explicit rowback, the Administration said its provocative challenge to Harvard was a mistake, inevitably blaming Harvard for rejecting it before asking whether it was serious.

In other news, yet another Federal judge ruled that the Consumer Protection Financial Bureau by firing nearly everyone who worked there. DOGE nonetheless continues its disruptive trajectory, but with scant evidence of lasting change.

I doubt we’ll see the Administration bragging about its won-lost record for this week. But these are but battles in an ongoing war that will leave collateral damage, particularly to the US role in the international economy.

The above summary is limited to domestic issues. Internationally, the promised peace settlements in Gaza and Ukraine appear to be fading and few share a perception that the current tariff mess will have a positive impact for anyone.

This is an ongoing war with many battles to be fought, not all of which will be won. It would be a mistake to project the outcome based on a very different German interwar experience.

That is a misleading, false and unhelpful metaphor. In terms of disruption, new records have been set. But the jury’s still out on whether today’s violent governmental weather will prove to have permanently changed our governmental climate.

Our political wars are far from over and the battlefield’s far too confused to declare that the other side is on its way to victory.