Anonymous op-ed sheds light on resistance

Donald Trump was right. Wednesday evening, The New York Times released an op-ed validating Trump’s paranoia. The op-ed was anonymously written by a senior-level official in the Trump White House, confirming a strategy of containment for the man inhabiting the oval. This unidentified senior official in the Trump White House has made it clear that they are not a part of the popular left resistance, but a resistance to Trump’s amoral and anti-democratic behaviors.

For the past two days, news organizations around the world have proudly argued that this op-ed will lead to a blue tsunami come November. While the anonymous op-ed is certainly damning, the impact it will have on the midterm elections is questionable. The midterms are only a few short months away, but it is likely that voters will forget this incident given the chaos ensuing within the Trump administration on a weekly basis. By November, this op-ed will surely be masked by other Trump-related scandals.
Not only will the anonymous op-ed be old news by November, it will actually strengthen Donald Trump’s base. For the past two years, his base has listened to him spout endless lies. They defend his mistruths and “alternative facts” as if they have been hypnotized to do so. This shocking op-ed only supports what he has been telling his base all along: there are people working for him in the White House who are trying to undermine his presidency. He was not wrong. There are people working around the clock to keep the President’s impulsive mind at bay.

Although this op-ed from within the administration will strengthen Trump’s main base, there is a very real possibility that it will push people towards the Democrats. There are an increasing number of Republicans ready to cut ties with Trump, which may lead some moderate Republicans to vote for Democrats in the midterms. Surely, this op-ed could push some frustrated voters to the left, but it may come as a sign of reassurance and relief for Republicans that do not support Trump, but support a conservative agenda.
While the motives of this op-ed are quite questionable, the piece tells the American public what we already knew: Donald Trump does not and will not put the country first. Because our nation is so divided, it is likely that this op-ed will be perceived in a variety of ways. Democrats will take this article and run with it, exclaiming that Trump is unfit for office. On the other hand, Republicans may read the op-ed and take comfort in knowing that there are “adults in the room” who will support true conservatism. We should question the underlying motives of this anonymous author, as he or she may be hinting at Republicans who have lost their faith to vote for Republicans in the fall. Either way, this op-ed creates more space in the ever-growing political divide currently taking place in the country.

Many have gone so far as to call this unnamed author a hero, which is a huge stretch. Yes, it is incredible that a senior White House official worked with the so-called “enemy of the people” to release an op-ed confirming what most of the American public already knew, but it is not enough to be called an “unsung hero.” If these people working in the White House were real heroes, they would not have just “whispered” about invoking the 25th amendment to remove the President, they would have actually invoked it. If this unnamed author were a hero, they would have included their name and dealt with the consequences. Apparently, that is all too much to ask.