Trump’s Bizarre Defense: A Karate Instructor, a Wedding DJ, and Geopolitical Chess
Rex Huppke, a columnist for USA TODAY, dives into the strange and unsettling saga of former President Donald Trump’s defense of his controversial interactions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Initially repulsed by what he perceived as Trump’s bullying and alignment with Russia, Huppke grapples with the geopolitical implications and the even more bizarre reaction from the Trump administration.
The turning point arrives with a headline from the Daily Mail: "Trump fuels rumors White House takedown of Zelensky was a setup by promoting elaborate theory from karate dojo instructor.” Huppke emphasizes the absurdity of this real headline, describing it as a encapsulation of the kind of American leadership sought by Republican lawmakers and Trump voters.
He highlights the irony of a president, deeply unpopular and facing deserved criticism, resorting to sharing a Facebook post from a seemingly random individual – a karate instructor and wedding DJ – to justify his actions. This act struck Huppke as something straight out of The Onion, a satirical news publication.
Driven by curiosity and disbelief, Huppke tracks down the author of the Facebook post, Michael McCune of Arizona. Their phone conversation reveals McCune to be a "regular Joe," a martial arts instructor, and wedding DJ with an opinion on the Oval Office meeting that resonated with the president. Huppke clarifies that while he and McCune likely disagree on many political issues, his primary concern lies with the president treating a non-expert as a geopolitical authority.
McCune’s Facebook post, proudly shared by Trump, begins by acknowledging potential negative perceptions of Trump’s actions toward Zelenskyy. However, McCune, drawing on his background in martial arts, strategy, and philosophy, offers an alternative interpretation. He argues that Trump was playing a strategic game, aligning with Russia on the surface to ultimately protect Ukraine.
According to McCune’s theory, Trump’s actions were a setup to force Zelenskyy to accept his terms. The genius, according to McCune, lies in Trump’s plan to involve American companies in Ukraine’s mining industry, deterring Russian invasion by endangering American lives, triggering a U.S. response, and international consequences.
Huppke summarizes the situation: Trump and Vance appeared to be pro-Putin bullies, alienating European leaders and undermining the Western coalition. To feel validated, Trump turned to a praise-filled Facebook post from a "regular American."
Huppke likens Trump’s action to him sharing a note from his mother praising his writing. The critical difference, he points out, is that Huppke is a newspaper columnist, while Trump is the President of the United States.
By sharing McCune’s theory, Trump seemed to acknowledge the Zelenskyy meeting as a setup. This contradicted the GOP’s narrative, which framed Zelenskyy as disrespectful and Trump as standing up for America. Even for those who approved of Trump’s behavior towards Zelenskyy, Huppke argues, it is highly unconventional for a president to justify globally significant actions using a random person’s Facebook post.
Huppke emphasizes that McCune does not deserve criticism for expressing his opinion, even if it diverges from his own. Their conversation highlighted the tendency to unfairly demonize those on the opposite side of the political spectrum. Huppke and McCune simply disagree, and McCune is entitled to his views, just as Huppke is to his.
Huppke’s concern lies with the fact that Trump, or his staff, sought out praise online and elevated the speculative take of someone lacking expertise in global diplomacy. He hopes that McCune’s interpretation is correct, and that Trump is playing a complex game that he and other liberals are failing to grasp.
Ultimately, Huppke wants what is best for America and believes McCune shares that goal. However, he believes that a president should justify actions based on expert opinions, not the views of "regular Joes."
Huppke concludes by reiterating his desire for a president who relies on the expertise of qualified individuals to justify their actions, not the opinions of random individuals found on the internet.
