It is far past time Trump supporters do not give Trump a pass on his outrageous statements. Their excuse for him is that he makes these statements “just to get attention”, that he really “does not mean” what he says, that he is just a “promoter”. As a President, as a nominee for President, his words carry weight, they have consequences.

Here are two examples of where his supporters should not give him a pass.

First, within the last 48 hours Trump taunted Nikki Haley for her time as his ambassador to the UN. He castigated her performance and said the only reason he wanted her as his UN rep was to allow the then Lt governor to be made governor. But where he really crossed the line and should be held accountable was when he said, “Where is her husband? Where is he? He’s gone!” Nikki Haley’s husband is honorably serving this country in the National Guard and is on his second overseas deployment in Africa. He is serving this country and our security. This harkens to General Kelly – Trump’s chief of staff in the White House for over 18 months – stating on record that Trump when talking about soldiers and sailors that died in service or were maimed said, “What was in it for them? They were just suckers and losers.” Think about that statement – men and women who gave their lives and their bodies to secure our nation and our freedoms – just “suckers and losers”. How can anyone think this man would deserve a second term in the White House.

Second, within the last 24 hours Trump has made the following statement at one of his South Carolina rallies, “he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines on defense in a stunning admission he would not abide by the collective-defense clause at the heart of the alliance if reelected. Why is this so egregious? There have been several writings on how Donald Trump in his four years as President fractured the NATO alliance. His bruising meeting in Brussels at a NATO meeting, to published reports he wanted to remove the USA from the alliance. There have also been analyses on how Putin factored Trump’s impact on NATO and how Putin believed he had been given a “window of opportunity”, even a wink/wink from Trump for Putin to act in Ukraine. This was heightened by Joe Biden’s election where Putin believed he had to act before Biden could heal those factures. Bottom line, Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was impacted by Trump’s Presidency. It might also be good to understand why NATO was formed in 1949 – there were three reasons. First, to deter Soviet Union expansionism. Second, to eliminate militarism from growing again in Europe which had led to two disastrous world wars in the previous 35 years. And third, to create conditions leading to a more politically integrated and unified Europe. For 75 years NATO has been successful in those three. The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, militarism within Europe ceased to exist, and within Europe arose a desire to integrate not just politically, but economically with the formation of the European Union. Trump’s statements on NATO, given Putin’s propensity to use military power to recreate the Soviet Union and its hegemony over eastern Europe (with a goal to dominate all of Europe) is dangerous. Extremely dangerous to the USA and our security. It might also be good to understand, given Trump’s outrageous statements on member nations military spending, since the fall of the Soviet Union every, EVERY, member nations military spending to GDP has fallen. Our own military spending has fallen since 1991 from 5.3% of GDP to 3.4%, a fall of over 39%. Germany’s has fallen from an average above 5% from 1960 to 1991 to about 1.5%. England’s from above 5% in that same time to just above 2%. Trump’s undermining of the NATO alliance has factored into Putin’s equations and view on reinvigorating Russia. Trump’s statements are dangerous…and have an impact. Again, how can anyone think Donald J. Trump is deserving of another term in the White House?

You know, I can not help but add this comment. “Where is Melania? Where is she? She’s gone!” Melania has made no public appearances with Donald Trump at any of his campaign events. Melania has made no appearances with Donald Trump at any of his depositions or court appearances. In fact, in the last year she has only been known to have dinner in public with Donald Trump one time, last November, in Mar-A-Lago. Vanity Affairs has reported that Melania is refusing to appear in public with Donald Trump as she is infuriated with him about his affairs (only one of which involves Stormy Daniels, the porn “star”). Perhaps Melania knows better than any of us about the character and the qualifications of Donald Trump to serve another four years in the White House?