“Trump Has a Compulsion to Desecrate”: Legal Analyst Slams Trump’s 9/11 Behavior and Supporters
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On Wednesday, legal reporter Elie Mystal criticized former President Donald Trump and his supporters during a segment on MSNBC, citing years of offensive behavior surrounding the September 11 terrorist attacks. The discussion centered on Trump’s controversial actions and statements, including his false claims about witnessing Muslims in New Jersey celebrating the attacks and his proximity to Ground Zero.
This week, Trump drew further backlash by attending a 9/11 memorial event with far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, a well-known “9/11 truther.” Even Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), known for her own controversial views, has labeled Loomer as “extremely racist.”
New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg weighed in on the situation during the panel. “He did this today, and because Donald Trump does so many despicable things, that is barely registering. But I think there is something about him that has this instinct or this compulsion to desecrate,” Goldberg said, referencing Loomer’s presence at the event, told the Associated Press.
Anchor Joy Reid echoed this sentiment, noting that Trump’s behavior often crosses lines that would normally end the careers of other politicians. “The way he desecrated Arlington National Cemetery would be career-ending for a normal politician … everything he does is despicable,” Reid remarked.
Mystal then took aim at Trump’s supporters, arguing that their unwavering loyalty enables his offensive actions. “The reason it does not end his career is his supporters are despicable,” Mystal stated bluntly. “Trump is a narcissist, so his whole thing is a complete lack of compassion and empathy.
That is why he lies about 9/11. He is probably the least compassionate president we’ve had in 200 years since Andrew Jackson, and it works for him because his supporters are just as ungenerous and have just as little compassion and empathy for others.”
Mystal continued to explain why Trump’s controversial behavior resonates with his base. “When he is seen, essentially, as you guys have put it, desecrating our national symbols, when he is seen putting himself above all else, his supporters also want that to be the case.
They want to do that in their own lives. That is how they think of themselves and why it is that it never hurts Trump when he takes these crass and classless actions. It’s because his supporters think that being crass and classless is actually kind of cool.” Trump’s actions, particularly around solemn events like 9/11, continue to generate criticism, yet his loyal following remains largely unfazed.
