The first signs that the people around Donald Trump are becoming bolder about disagreeing with him came during those mercifully curtailed COVID briefing that Trump staged, when senior officials like Anthony Fauci health and Dr Deborah Birx were unable to conceal their disagreement with his wild assertions about conquering the pandemic. When the two doctors continued to contradict his assertions Trump lost interest in the briefings.
With the breakout of the public demonstrations and looting following the murder of George Floyd the practice of saying no to the president has escalated. Today, Defence Secretary, who was seen participating in Trump’s ill-fated photo-op at St John’s Church made it clear he does not like seeing the US military politicized and by implication—seeing himself used as a Trump political prop.
Sticking with the same photo-op where Trump brandished a bible for the camera, a move seen as a sop to the evangelical community; the gesture appears to have not worked, if comments yesterday by Pat Robertson, one of America’s leading evangelists is any indication.
Then, given the powerful symbolism of the original kneel by Colin Kaepernick, we get this scene from Washington where National Guardsmen are confronted by protesters. Watch the whole clip.
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