Trump’s America, now a haven for sex traffickers, too

The Trump administration intervened to secure the release of Andrew and Tristan Tate from Romania. It’s the most scandalous showing yet of the American transformation afoot: Once a beacon of democracy on a hill, it is now a nation wallowing in grift.

The Tate brothers are self-styled misogynist influencers. Unsurprisingly, accusations of sex trafficking landed them under house arrest pending trial in Romania. Then, suddenly, Trump began wielding influence like a mafia boss pulling strings for his henchmen. And, before you could say collusion, the brothers were on a private jet to Florida.

A reporter asked Trump why his administration secured the release of these reprobates. He feigned ignorance. You know, just like he did when a reporter asked why he called Zelensky a dictator, and why he said the EU was formed to screw the US. Simply put, Trump couldn’t care less about the implications of anything he says or does.

Trump places loyalists above the law

Trump is cultivating an ominous habit of using presidential power to whitewash the crimes of loyalists. He’s showing that morality, legality, and basic decency mean nothing when loyalty to him is at issue. Only that explains Trump pardoning January 6 insurrectionists and siding with genocidal Putin against Ukraine.

The message is clear: if you’re influential and pledge fealty to Trump, your crimes — no matter how heinous — will be overlooked.

Meanwhile, many women who voted for Trump will be shocked. But they should’ve seen this coming. Indeed, perhaps they’ll commiserate with the Muslims who voted for him, only to see him betray the Palestinians,

Normalizing criminal behavior

This is why everyone from rogue dictators to scandal-ridden billionaires and embattled celebrities all know the game: flatter Trump, and he’ll have your back. Whether it’s Putin seeking absolution for war crimes or jailed rapper P Diddy angling for a pardon, his pay-to-play presidency makes justice a commodity.

There’s method to this madness. Trump isn’t just excusing the crimes of rogue leaders and criminals — he’s normalizing them. Because he clearly thinks the more he normalizes their behavior, the more his own record of rogue and criminal behavior will seem normal.