Michael Wolff’s book raises new valid questions over the US President’s mental health
Michael Wolff… a name that was unknown to many until lately when his book “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” hit the shelves of bookstores. But what is drawing the crowds? What has made the book the top-seller on Amazon already? What created an “unprecedented demand” for the book that made the publishers release it four days prior to the scheduled date? Is it because of the unmatchable access to the White House given to the author during Trump’s first year? Is it because of the probable certainty that he has brought in the text by interviewing over 200 people who have worked or are still closely engaged with Trump? Or is it because of the reaction henceforth given by the Trump administration and Trump himself?
The book’s immense popularity in Pakistan can be traced back to the veto speech delivered by U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nikki Haley on 21 December 2017 following the historic 128-9 vote that overwhelmingly rejected Trump’s decision to recognise the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation. […] But this vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN. And this vote will be remembered.”
It is, however, a relief to know that a nation that took two centuries to become the world’s most prominent superpower is now under the stewardship of, like, a really smart statesman
Surely the US remembered every country which moved the resolution on the General Assembly’s floor and also those who voted against the US. Of prime importance among these countries is Pakistan, hence Trump’s first tweet of the year 2018 being entirely dedicated to the Islamic Republic. Tagging Pakistan as a liar and a deceitful “ally” was equivalent to not only questioning its loyalty but also revisiting future considerations. Much has been discussed in all these days along with all the fire and fury President Trump has been held responsible for disseminating.
Even without reading a single word from the book, nothing seems unfamiliar. All the speculations regarding the Republican establishment using racism merely as a tool for winning elections and which was supposed to be entombed later have dramatically proven wrong in this one year. Paul Krugman states in his article titled “Faust on the Potomac” published in The New York Times: “But with Trump they lost control: the base wanted someone who was blatantly racist and wouldn’t pretend to be anything else. And that’s what they got, with corruption, incompetence, and treason on the side. […] They knew what Trump was, but were willing to overlook it as long as they could push their usual agenda.”
Wolff is not the first one to give the third degree to Trump’s mental health. A debate that kindled in media back in October 2017 when Ronald Reagan’s son called him a “deeply damaged human being”, “a stain on a carpet that the Electoral College has vomited up” and “a danger to the world”, calling for his impeachment, has only gotten worse. Wolff’s opinion that certifies Trump as a “child” and “semi-literate” has been repeatedly backlashed through the President’s Twitter handle. Calling Michael Wolff “a total loser” and the author of a “really boring and untruthful book” was one way of defending himself, while professing himself “a very stable genius” was another. He wants to assure the world that “mental stability” and “being, like, really smart” have been two of the greatest assets of his since forever and he hopes everyone to buy this.
All the staff reductions at the State Department in the name of reshaping the department as initiated by Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson have raised concerns among the members of the Congress. In a letter written by Democratic members of the House Foreign Relations Committee to Tillerson, they expressed concern about “the intentional hallowing-out of our senior diplomatic ranks” as “the exodus of more than 100 senior Foreign Service officers from the State Department” has occurred since January. It is, however, a relief to know that a nation that took two centuries to become the world’s most prominent superpower is now under the stewardship of, like, a really smart statesman.
The mental soundness of this man can be gauged through a comparison that Trump has drawn with the 40th President of the United States Ronald Reagan in his tweet: “Ronald Regan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I!” But President Trump has failed to identify what Reagan’s actual problem was – being accused by fellow Republicans of mental sickness or being really diagnosed with Alzheimer’s five years after leaving the White House?
While Michael Wolff claims to have gained access by impressing Trump through an old article he had written in his praise for The Hollywood Reporter, the President denied all such assertions by tweeting on the day of the book’s publication, just fifteen days before the first anniversary of his assuming office: “I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, mispresentations and sources that don’t exist.”
Would stressing on the book being “a complete work of fiction” be able to deafen Michael Wolff’s voice that says, “He’s lost it”? Only time can prove whether Donald J. Trump is “a very stable genius” or “the worst and the dumbest”, but one thing is certain: the game has just gone dirty.
