Once called the “shining city on a hill,” the United States has become the smash and grab bully of the world.

From the moment Donald Trump took office, he has thumbed his nose at the Constitution and the other two branches of the federal government. He has governed by decree, signing executive orders and ignoring courts that have the temerity to tell him “you can’t do that.” He has coerced enough Republican congresspeople and senators to allow him to do whatever he wants without consequence, like playing Monopoly with tariffs, murdering American citizens on our streets, destroying boats in the Caribbean that he says are transporting drugs, invading sovereign countries and kidnapping or killing their leaders, destroying the White House to build a ballroom reminiscent of the Palace of Versailles, declaring his name or face be displayed on buildings in Washington, using the office of the presidency to enrich himself and his family, accepting “gifts” from foreign leaders and CEOs who want to curry favor with him…the list is endless.

He communicates via social media. He insults reporters who ask him the hard questions. He and his unqualified cabinet fire experienced personnel if they show any signs of not cooperating with him. He threatens media companies, personalities like Stephen Colbert, and educational institutions.

Now he has attacked Iran for no discernible reason. In the midst of negotiations, Trump bombed Iran. Who does he turn to at this time when he could use some wisdom? Not the people in jobs that know about these things. Not foreign leaders who have been our allies for decades. No. He gets on the phone for two hours with Vladimir Putin!

Video footage of the strikes on Iran approved by Trump are interspersed with images of video games, violent scenes from movies and football players being tackled. The administration seems to think that the conflict (dare I say “war”) is just another choice for our entertainment. Do we have serious adults working in this administration or are they a bunch of teenagers playing Call of Duty?

To quote Michael Jochum: “We are watching him inflame the Middle East with a war against Iran that has no coherent objective, no exit strategy, and no defensible reason beyond the familiar Trump formula: chaos as distraction, violence as theater, and profit for the inner circle. This is not strategy. It’s arson. Another reckless bonfire lit by a man who believes the world exists solely to reflect his own vanity.”

Trump’s attack on Iran is nothing more than a means to distract us from the problems he can’t solve here at home like the Epstein files, his inability to bring down prices, approval polls that show him at the lowest point ever, and elections in which Democrats are beating Republicans like never before.

Donald Trump has no concept of the horrific consequences of his actions. He never looks beyond the headlines that inevitably contain his name. He believes the old show biz motto that “no publicity is bad publicity.” He has no empathy and no respect for human life or the freedom of individuals. He escaped being drafted during the Viet Nam War and surely will not allow his youngest offspring to be drawn into the fray. To him war is just a tool to further his objectives: more money and more power. He may not be popular with the average American but that’s okay. As long as those in positions of power kowtow to him, he’s happy.

Asked how long the war will last, answers have ranged from it’s “nearly complete” to it’s “just starting.” Trump has stated, “Any time I want it to end, it will end.” Someone needs to tell Iran that because dollars to doughnuts they’re not just going to say bye-bye and call in the janitor to clean up. Historically they have been proven to have a very long memory. Add to that they have two very heavy hitters on their side: Russia and China.

The man some claim that God has anointed to bring about the second coming is at the point of desperation with the Epstein files revealing his true colors. And desperate people take desperate measures.

Verna Caruso is a native of Muncy, who now resides in Williamsport. She is a former staff member at Inc. magazine and former Chair of the Lycoming County Democratic Committee.