Former President Donald Trump is being slammed as “cruel” and “indecent” after announcing a press event at Mar-A-Lago on January 6 to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the deadly insurrection he incited.
In a blistering Op-Ep published on The Hill, political analyst Douglas MacKinnon addressed Trump’s announcement, writing:
“To say that his timing is tone-deaf would be letting Trump off the hook much too easily. “It’s actually downright cruel, especially considering that four Trump supporters died during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, a Capitol Police officer died from a stroke the day after, and four other police officers committed suicide in the days and months following.”
He added: “Simple decency would suggest that he pick another day. But Trump likely chose that day precisely because he wants to rip the scab off the wound to fire up his base and fuel the hate machine in the process. Unfortunately, he’ll probably succeed on both counts.”
In his op-ed, McKinnon also accused Trump of trying to douse Americans’ hope of moving on with their lives after two troublesome years caused by the former president’s antics and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Trump is about to roll out a number of rhetorical hand grenades that will get 2022 off to a depressing start for those who seek adult leadership and political healing that might allow our politicians to focus on the voters’ misery index for a change. Trump surely knows that — but still he chooses to douse that hope.”
“Self-awareness and introspection never have been Trump’s strong suits. When he holds his news conference on Jan. 6, however, he may want to ponder why that date has a special meaning — not just for Americans affected by the events in Washington on that date last year but also for hundreds of millions of people around the world for another reason.
He added: “Jan. 6 is known as Epiphany for the world’s 2.6 billion Christians. It not only commemorates the visit of the three wise men to the birthplace of Jesus but also is known as Old Christmas or Little Christmas and recognized as the 12th day of Christmas. The day is truly sacred to billions of people. And many Americans will witness Trump, who says he is a Christian, dishonoring that celebration once again for his own selfish motivations.”
