Donald Trump and maga Republicans are in denial: Trump's mental decline and petty obsessions are not normal

An echo opinion published in the Baltimore Sun by Bobby Zirkin:

Can someone in the White House who knows how to read please recite this following opinion to Donald Trump❓

White House CRIES After Trump's Nobel Peace Prize Nightmare Comes True

It gives me no pleasure at all to say that this last week (January 2026) in the White House has been an unmitigated disaster for Trump. 

My wife and I are currently re-watching “The West Wing” (one of the greatest shows ever), and it was hard not to think that Donald Trump could use a Josh Lyman, Toby Ziegler or Sam Seaborn this week. This truly was, paraphrasing the 2014, Steve Carell film, a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week for the Donald Trump.

Let’s start with the Nobel Peace Prize, of all things❗ 

Whether Trump deserves to win it or not is — well — who really cares❓ Donald Trump definitely has more pressing things to worry about than this, because he’s — you know — supposed to be the president. Whether someone gives him an award or not is kind of a minuscule thing. Just out of curiosity, I researched who has won the prize over the years and found some doozies. Here is one. Yasser Arafat won despite being an international terrorist. And there are countless deserving individuals who never won, so I will highlight one to make the point. Winston Churchill never won the award despite essentially saving Europe and the world from Adolf Hitler. Pretty sure Churchill never gave speeches whining that he didn’t get the award. Not that this isn’t a great trophy for someone, but receiving the prize shouldn’t be something on Donald Trump's deteriorating mind, deserving or not. (Maine Writer: Somebody must tell Donald Trump that his obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize is not normal❗)

María Machado offered to give Trump her peace prize for her work promoting democracy in Venezuela (and, unbelievable, he actually took it). He took someone else’s Nobel Peace Prize. 

To cap the week, Donald Trump sent a text to the Norwegian prime minister that read, “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace.” 

So, let’s be clear. This is not OK, whatever your political persuasion. When Donald Trump throws a tantrum over not receiving a trophy, it doesn’t look great. And it obviously shouldn’t impact public policy.

Next, Greenland. Greenland❓ Donald Trump is demanding that the United States own Greenland. The stated rationale is for national security, but that’s not a serious argument. The United States can do anything militarily in Greenland, including placing troops and building bases, under an already-existing treaty with the owner, Denmark. The president has said we will own Greenland “one way or the other,” which seems like a threat. To Denmark. Our close ally. Our fellow member of NATO. Over Greenland. Get the picture❓ This obsession is threatening the transatlantic alliance and is a gift to adversaries in Moscow and Beijing. They are publicly rejoicing at the rift, and it lends credibility to the ridiculous rationale used by Russia to invade Ukraine and the one floated by China related to Taiwan. Over Greenland! Cooler heads in the administration need to pull back from the abyss. By all means, beef up military presence there, but again, we can already do that. The fear is that the damage will last long past this insanity.

Next, there is Iran. This is a bit more complex, and I am holding out hope that we will do the right thing. 

The use of B-2 bombers in June to target nuclear facilities was the absolute right thing to do. Can you imagine nuclear weapons in the hands of the religious fanatics who chant “Death to America” like it’s a pop song on the Top 40❓ (Maine Writer: But, wait❗ Was the mission all bravado❓ because there is no definitive proof about the targeted site being completely destroyed.) 

But declaring the conflict over and the onset of peace the day after was, frankly, premature. In these last weeks, the world witnessed the full depravity of the Iranian regime as they mowed down their own people in the streets (perhaps as many as 20,000 murdered) just for demanding freedom. Donald Trump deserves credit for being vocally supportive of the protesters while many on the left and in the mainstream media disappeared from their increasing momentum with peaceful marches and protests. 

Donald Trump went further, posting on social media that Iranians should continue to protest, that help was on the way, and that the Iranian regime would pay the price for killing its own citizens. Iranians protested, no help came and the regime murdered thousands with no repercussions. One hopes that the administration is just biding time, but for now, we have done nothing. Regime change was within reach in June, and it is within reach now. A world without those responsible for exporting international terrorism would be a game-changer, and the Iranian people need our help.

Guess what❓ That was just one week. Obviously, the administration needs to get its act together. The world needs America’s steady leadership, and this has been anything but. I am rooting for them to get this straightened out and to succeed. Don Bacon, a Republican congressman from Nebraska, called the president’s ramblings this week “very embarrassing conduct,” and he is right. I have spent considerable time defending some of this administration’s policies, but this week is inexplicable. In the movie “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” they eventually got it together, and all was well in the end. Here’s hoping.

Bobby Zirkin is a columnist at The Baltimore Sun.  He represented Baltimore County in the General Assemby for 21 years as a Democratic state senator and delegate. He can be reached at bz@zandslaw.com.