U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he announces a deal with Pfizer to sell drugs at lower prices, in the Oval office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 30, 2025. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
Contributing editor Jonathan Alter tells the Washington Monthly that Trump is failing wars on numerous fronts — including his culture war and war on free speech.
Speaking at the Phoenix funeral/rally of slain MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk, Trump dismissed the message of forgiveness from Kirk’s widow. But Alter said, “blaming Democrats and the trans community for Kirk’s assassination just isn’t working."
"He and [advisor Stephen] Miller had hoped Kirk’s martyrdom would become a permanent hate delivery system. Thanks in part to Erika Kirk, that does not appear to be underway," Alter wrote.
Alter said there are more signs of choppy waters ahead for the president.
“King Charles, recognizing that Trump has long been a sucker for royalty, rolled out the red carpet for him. But the ailing king had an agenda: To turn Trump around on Ukraine after he kissed Vladimir Putin’s a—— in Alaska,” said Alter, pointing out that Trump now appears to be tilting against Russia.
“Back across the pond, the week started off badly on Monday with Trump’s bats—— crazy press conference with RFK Jr., in which both dangerous jerks pretended to be doctors. But if they hoped to convince pregnant women to avoid Tylenol, they failed. Even MAGA mamas will listen to their physicians,” said Alter.
Jimmy Kimmel also returned to the air after Disney CEO Bob Iger got “called out publicly by his mentor, Michael Eisner, and basically everyone else he respects” for temporarily caving to Trump’s “wannabe censor Brendan Carr.” Then Trump “brought his clown act to the United Nations,” which appears to be boiling down to the “unhinged bloviating from an American president who has long since ceased being the leader of the free world.”
“The depressing speech has already been forgotten,” said Alter.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the nation discovered not only had Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan taken $50,000 in cash in a CAVA bag from undercover FBI agents during the transition, but he kept the money.
“In any other administration, Homan would already be gone,” said Alter, but the silver lining here is that Homan’s “hypocrisy will handcuff him on TV as he tries to rationalize ICE cruelties.”
And while former FBI Director James Comey was indicted on felony charges of making a false statement to Congress, the public — and juries — will see the charges as Trump’s charges, as well as “a sickening abuse of power.”
Additionally, Alter said Trump is “headed toward choppy political waters” because he will “mismanage the government shutdown” to the anger of everybody and stir a “No Kings” rally like never before.
“A storm may be coming, Stephen Miller. But it’s not the one you had in mind,” said Alter.
Read the Washington Monthly report at this link.