Gabriel Sherman has written an absolutely blistering article published today describing a White House in chaos. According to Sherman, Trump is literally unraveling in front of the world and it seems that, finally, his own advisers are seeing it. [Ed. Note: see video above where it's suggested that we are all witnessing a public intervention]
The lede says it all: "They describe a White House in crisis as advisers struggle to contain a president that seems to be increasingly unfocused and consumed by dark moods."
At the moment, we have a sullen, petulant, angry toddler who is in control of the nuclear football and has been screaming "I hate everyone and everything and don't you dare make me eat vegetables again, Ivanka!" Perfect.
But really, this isn't a laughing matter. The interviews follow up on a tweet made by Senator Corker this Sunday in which he described the White House as "adult day care." Lovely.
Sherman reports that several people describe Trump as “unstable,” “losing a step,” and “unraveling.” But something seems to have shifted. What has been known and publicly discussed by Democrats, Never-Trump Republicans and most people with any sanity and intelligence is finally being acknowledged by Trump supporters and confidantes: The Man Is Not Well.
Sherman reports that there is a "new level of concern" by some of Trump's longtime confidantes. Numerous Republicans and Trump advisers describe the White House as being "in crisis" and Trump as being "consumed by dark moods." His attacks on fake news have definitely ramped up, but he is also aiming his rage at his own party, attacking McConnell, Ryan and others for his stalled agenda.
Add to that the recent "moron" comment by Tillerson, and you have a man who has a lot of enemies and very few friends. For someone who likes to counterpunch when he is being attacked, he must be fatigued. You can't counterpunch against the whole world, especially when you are a 71-year old man who doesn't believe in exercise and lives on fast food.
What else could have Donnie feeling down? Well, his endorsement of Luther Strange in Alabama was a huge ding to his ego. He is sad that everything he touches turns to sh*t. To make matters worse, his now-fired adviser Steve Bannon backed the very candidate who beat Strange. Sherman reports that someone "close to Trump" said that “Alabama was a huge blow to [Trump's] psyche. He saw the cult of personality was broken.” Awww, sadz.
There are also reports that Trump told Keith Schiller, his longtime confidante, "I hate everyone in the White House! There are a few exceptions, but I hate them!” Does this sound like the words of a grown up, mentally stable, intelligent man? No. It sounds like a child. A bratty child.
So what happens next? Well, we have John Kelly in the White House, serving as a very high paid baby sitter. But what if he leaves? Who will wrestle the nuclear football from Trump's tiny little baby hands?
Will the Cabinet finally move towards implementing the 25th Amendment? Bannon sure thinks so. He predicts that Trump only has a 30 percent chance of completing his first term in office.
We don't place much faith in Stephen K. Bannon's motives or the accuracy of his statement, but it does seem clear that something has changed.