Since the end of World War II, American leaders - left, right, and center - have upheld certain irrevocable principles. Among them: unwavering support for democracy, respect for allies, and leadership on the world stage.
On Friday, those principles fell in disgrace.
In a shameful and embarrassing display at the White House, President Donald Trump mimicked President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. It was shameful and embarrassing.
President Trump and Vice President JD Vance accused Zelenskyy of being “disrespectful” during a confrontational visit to the White House on Friday that was on the edge of a shouting match. At one point, Trump said the Ukrainian president was “gambling with World War III,” and at the end of the meeting, as tensions rose, Trump said to Zelenskyy, regarding Russia talks: “You either make a deal, or we are out.”
This column is very difficult for me to write. As the co-publisher of a non-partisan daily news platform, I strive to be objective. On February 20th, co-publisher Kristina Becvar and I wrote a column in The Fulcrum entitled “Do Trump’s Goals Justify his Words and Actions.”
In that column, we addressed a challenge we face as a non-partisan publication.
“Our challenge as a publication, dedicated to keeping our readers informed so we can repair our democracy and make it live and work in our everyday lives, is not to be overly reactive or partisan. At the same time, we must not ignore the dangers of the administration's degrading, hostile, and accusatory language and actions when they occur, while also acknowledging inappropriate responses when they occur.”
We went on to say:
“It is easy to be reactive to statements like this. It is, perhaps, even imperative that The Fulcrum calls out such dangerous language used by Trump and Musk and do the same should members of Congress from the other party make similar comments. However, strongly admonishing abhorrent words or actions while, at the same time, acknowledging some degree of truth in the underlying action are not mutually exclusive. Finding where that truth remains is one of our key objectives.”
Today is one of those days in which it is imperative that we as a people do not ignore uncivil behavior !!!!
This week, Hugo Balta, executive editor of The Fulcrum, wrote a columnstating, "in an era of increasing political polarization, the need for civility in politics has never been greater. Engaging in constructive and respectful dialogue is essential for maintaining a healthy democracy, fostering unity, and ensuring that governments function effectively. ”
What we witnessed in the White House was the antithesis of the constructive and respectful dialogue that Balta spoke of.
For generations, U.S. foreign policy has been built on key pillars. They have not always been applied perfectly but have served as guiding principles for leaders regardless of party affiliation. Since World War II, the U.S. has:
- Stood as a strong advocate for democratic governance and the protection of human rights around the world.
- Made the protection of the safety and security of the United States and its allies a top priority, including efforts to combat terrorism, prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and address cyber threats.
- Worked with other nations and international organizations to address global challenges such as climate change, pandemics, and regional conflicts.
- Maintained strong alliances and partnerships, such as those with NATO and other allies, to ensure collective security and mutual defense.
- Used diplomatic efforts and foreign aid as key tools in building relationships, preventing conflicts, and fostering development in other countries.
This is all crumbling before our eyes, and I am deeply concerned and saddened.
Strength and winning are important for the United States. President Trump was elected to solve the serious problems facing Americans, and I respect his efforts to do so.
But what are we as a nation if everything is about winning? What are we as a nation if everything is a negotiation? Leadership without respect is dangerous.
Winning with honor is not a new thought. Albert Einstein said: "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” Mahatma Gandhi echoed the sentiment: "The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its weakest members are treated."
As the world's most powerful nation, we will not be judged by how we throw our muscle and power around. Ultimately, we will be judged by how we respect all people and all nations by fostering goodwill, cooperation, and mutual growth.
The fifth President of the United States, James Monroe, sums up my feelings on this very sad day for me.
"National honor is national property of the highest value. The sentiment in the mind of every citizen is national strength. It ought, therefore to be cherished."
Today, national honor was nowhere to be found in the White House.
David Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.
A view of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 25, 2026. President Donald Trump jolted Republicans during a fiery appearance at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, scrapping a housing bill signing ceremony and clashing behind closed doors with a party rebel who challenged him over the Iran war. Trump had been expected to sign the bipartisan housing.
Only Trump doesn’t care about housing
It was August 15, 2024. Then candidate Donald Trump stepped out of his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club’s columned clubhouse to a gaggle of reporters. He was flanked by tables of groceries and signs showing the rising cost of food. Also on one of the tables was a dollhouse, meant to represent the equally alarming rise in housing prices.
It was a speech about the economy, the single most important issue of the 2024 election cycle, full of promises that went right to the heart of Americans’ anxieties. While former President Joe Biden and then Vice President Kamala Harris were contorting themselves to posture a good economy that just needed more time to recover from the pandemic, Trump was preying on voters’ very real fears of unaffordable gas, groceries, and homes. It was obviously a winning message.
In that speech, Trump promised, “We’re going to open up tracts of federal land for housing construction. We desperately need housing for people who can’t afford what’s going on now.”
As of mid-2023, there had been a housing shortage of nearly four million homes, according to the National Association of Realtors. Americans all over the country were either priced out of buying new homes due to low inventory, trapped in their existing homes by sky-high mortgage rates, or facing exorbitant rent hikes thanks to corporate investors buying up rental properties. Americans needed help, and Trump promised it.
Cut to March of 2026, when Trump reportedly told House Speaker Mike Johnson, “No one gives a sh*t about housing.”
That kind of thinking may explain why Trump this week suddenly announced he was canceling a signing ceremony for the bipartisan “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” a housing bill co-sponsored by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Tim Scott that passed the House 358-32 and was approved in the Senate on Monday.
Trump instead demanded Congress pass the SAVE America Act, his controversial election grievance bill that doesn’t have enough Republican support to get passed in the Senate.
It’s just the latest in a line of policy self-owns where Trump has seemingly intentionally made life more difficult for Republicans hoping to keep their majority. Despite midterm elections occurring in the midst of a blistering economy and an unpopular war, they were surely hoping the housing bill would give them something — anything — to brag about when they returned home to their districts.
And very much to the contrary, Americans do give a sh*t about housing. According to a recent survey by the Bipartisan Policy Center, a whopping 79% say the cost of housing is extremely or very important to them. Eighty-three percent say Congress should take action on the issue — like it just did. Eighty-nine percent say the House and Senate need to work together to pass affordable housing legislation — like they just did. And 63% say they would be more likely to vote for a lawmaker if they helped pass legislation to build more affordable homes and lower housing costs — like they just did.
There aren’t many issues that unite Americans like housing does, and very few bipartisan policy wins Congress can point to, and yet, Trump is holding that bill hostage in order to get his pet project — which doesn’t even have the support of his own party — pushed through.
If you’re trying to make sense of something so nonsensical, as I’m sure many Republican lawmakers are, it’s certainly sad but not actually all that complicated. Trump said what he needed to get reelected and then promptly abandoned his promises in order to pursue his own self-interests, even if those interests are bad for Republicans and bad for voters.
That’s just the kind of guy he is.
S.E. Cupp is the host of "S.E. Cupp Unfiltered" on CNN.