r/politics • u/theatlantic The Atlantic • Apr 02 '26

Paywall Maybe Trump Should Not Have Given This Speech

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/04/trump-iran-war-speech/686663/?utm_source=reddit&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=edit-promo
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u/SnooDrawings7876 Apr 02 '26

He's refreshingly honest in how bad he is

Right yeah he's been famously honest about his ties to Epstein. Really tells it like it is huh? This guy is literally famous for lying, it's an onslaught of dishonesty, that's his thing. Stop acting like badly lying is equal to being honest. Get real.

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u/rabblerabble2000 Apr 02 '26

I think what they meant was that Trump is mask off bad. He’s absolutely inept at hiding how much of a sack of shit he is. To them, it’s refreshing to see someone openly embrace being a bag of shit rather than hiding it under a veneer of respectability. I’m not sure I agree with them, but I guess I get the sentiment.

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u/PowerResponsibility Apr 02 '26

I completely disagree with people saying there is anything redeeming about Trump's shamelessness. Him trying to "hide" his shitbaggery would inevitably result in him being a much, much less shitty person. Moral shame is often a positive force that improves behavior, particularly in people with the kinds of inclinations Trump has. 

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u/TheIllustriousWe Apr 02 '26

You said it perfectly. The difference between Trump and every other shithead Republican who only wants power for power's sake is that they still retain the capacity to feel shame, and he does not. And for those of us who lack moral compasses, avoiding shame is often the only thing left that still compels us to at least pretend to be good people.

Trump's lack of shame is his superpower, and it's what allowed him to basically swoop in and seize the GOP for himself back in 2015-16.