One week. It took just one week for Donald Trump to remind us who he really is: a pathological narcissist coupled with a budding autocrat, incapable of the slightest restraint, allergic to any form of decency. One week to publicly humiliate a president at war, expel real journalists in favor of MAGA propagandists, transform the symbol of American democracy into a gilded palace worthy of Mar-a-Lago, and share a video of himself bombing his fellow citizens with excrement from a fighter jet.

While our European leaders tremble before this character who believes he can do anything, the legitimate American press finds itself turned away at the gates of power. At the White House as at the Pentagon, press badges from the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and NBC have been confiscated. Replaced by whom? By conspiracy podcasters and pro-Kremlin bloggers. Welcome to the era of Trumpian post-democracy, where crudeness becomes doctrine, indelicacy a strategy, and boorishness a trademark. Buffoon of the year? No. The cackling gravedigger of everything the West still claimed to defend.

When the White House Becomes a Reality Show for Autocrats

When the White House Becomes a Reality Show for Autocrats

Ah, Donald Trump! Here he is again, true to himself—which is to say, true to nothing except his oversized ego and his taste for gilded kitsch. In barely a week, he’s managed the feat of making us miss… Wait, no, we can’t miss something that never existed: his restraint. Because he’s never had any restraint. What’s new is the scale of the disaster, the systematization of indecency.

Let’s start with the surreal scene of February 28 with Volodymyr Zelensky. A president of a country at war, who came seeking support against the Russian invasion, was treated like a bad student summoned to the principal’s office. The meeting, described as a « shouting match » broadcast to the entire world, revealed Trump’s growing willingness to sacrifice Ukraine for his broader vision of rebuilding relations with Russia. In front of cameras, Trump and his sidekick JD Vance drowned out Zelensky’s voice with their reproaches, accusing him of being « disrespectful » and « ungrateful. » Trump even snapped at a journalist: « What if a bomb fell on your head right now? » What diplomatic elegance! What finesse!

But the most revealing part remains this impassioned defense of Putin. Trump presented the Russian leader as an ally in his political rivalry with Democrats, evoking the federal investigation into his 2016 campaign: « Putin went through hell with me. He went through a bogus witch hunt where they used him with Russia, Russia, Russia. » So there you have it, the Trumpian criterion for international alliance: not democratic values, but solidarity between alleged victims of « witch hunts. » Putin and him, brothers in arms against the mean Mueller investigation. Touching.

The Press? What Press?

But wait, because the show doesn’t stop there. And like any great performance needs a sidekick, Trump has found in Karoline Leavitt, 27, the youngest White House press secretary in history, his worthy accomplice. If you’re trying to distinguish Leavitt from Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, good luck. Both share the same combative style, the same sarcastic tone, the same propensity to transform every press conference into a propaganda spectacle. Zakharova is described by the U.S. State Department as « a central figure of government propaganda » known for her « combative style, sarcastic tone, and extreme anti-Western sentiments. » Replace « anti-Western » with « anti-traditional media » and you have Leavitt. Both women excel in the art of professional lying, incendiary media outbursts, and displayed contempt for journalists who dare ask uncomfortable questions.

Leavitt recently responded « Your mom did » to a HuffPost reporter who asked her about the historical significance of Budapest as the Trump-Putin meeting location—reminding her that it was where Russia promised in 1994 not to invade Ukraine if it gave up its nuclear weapons. Middle school-level professionalism. She then publicly called this journalist a « far left hack, » leaking their private exchanges on social media. A few days later, she declared on Fox News that « the Democrat Party’s main constituency are made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminals. » A member of Congress called for her resignation. She remains in office. To a journalist who questioned her about the « No Kings » protests, she retorted that the question was « stupid. » At her first briefing, she announced that MAGA podcasters, influencers, and bloggers would now be privileged over traditional press. « As the youngest press secretary in history, » she declared with pride, she considers it her mission to open the press room to these « new media voices. » Translation: replace journalists with courtiers. Zakharova couldn’t do better at the Kremlin.

During the Trump-Zelensky meeting, veteran White House correspondents grumbled privately while a MAGA online personality dominated the Q&A. Who? Brian Glenn, a podcaster from Real America’s Voice, that far-right media outlet broadcasting Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk. Glenn, who had already provoked an explosion of anger from Trump and Vance in February by criticizing Zelensky’s dress code, was granted privileged access despite not being assigned to the press pool. And meanwhile, real journalists watched, helpless, as their profession was hijacked by courtiers disguised as reporters.

MAGA podcaster Jack Posobiec traveled with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Ukraine and with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to the northern border. ZeroHedge, a financial blog that U.S. intelligence agencies accused of spreading Russian propaganda in 2022, was assigned the « New Media » seat in the press pool. You’ve got to be kidding! Pro-Kremlin propaganda officially installed in the White House press room!

At the Pentagon, it’s even worse. One America News Network would replace NBC News and Breitbart would take NPR’s place in the precious workspace of the Pentagon press corps as part of a new « annual media rotation program. » Then, finding this censorship insufficient, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanded that journalists sign new restrictive rules prohibiting them from « soliciting » even unclassified information from federal employees that hasn’t been officially approved for publication. Result? On October 15, 2025, the Pentagon confiscated press badges from journalists from practically every major American media organization. ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, Fox News, the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR—all expelled. Even Newsmax, the pro-Trump channel, refused to sign!

In ten months of the Trump administration, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given only two press conferences. And there have been virtually no background briefings, once common during military actions. Instead? Carefully orchestrated social media posts and interviews with partisan commentators and podcasters. Democratic transparency, Trump version: move along, nothing to see here, or rather, you’ll only see what I want you to see.

Mar-a-Lago Moves to Washington

And as if all that weren’t enough, Trump decided to transform the White House into a branch of his Palm Beach club. Renderings released by the White House suggest a strong resemblance to Mar-a-Lago’s gilded ballroom. The project has also grown since its announcement, from a capacity of 650 seated guests to 999 people. A 90,000-square-foot ballroom—almost twice the size of the White House itself! The president and his spokesperson had initially stated that nothing would be demolished during construction. « It will be near but without touching it, » Trump said. « Nothing will be demolished, » his spokesperson added. This turned out to be false.

Trump also renovated the bathroom in the famous Lincoln Bedroom in the private quarters and laid marble floors in a passage leading to the South Lawn. The Oval Office itself is adorned with generous gold decorations that Trump commissioned from a Florida artisan who had worked on his Palm Beach estate. Tiny golden cherubs looking down from above doors came directly from Mar-a-Lago. Subtle, isn’t it? You’d think you were in the lobby of a Las Vegas casino, Louis XIV version on amphetamines.

Trump transformed the Rose Garden into a stone-covered patio because he feared women’s high heels would sink into the lawn. Trumpian delicacy in all its splendor: tearing up historic grass to prevent guests at his cocktail parties from dirtying their Louboutins. Jacqueline Kennedy must be turning in her grave.

The Coronation of the Grotesque

And for those who thought we’d hit rock bottom, Trump proved we could still dig deeper. On October 18, after nearly 7 million people participated in more than 2,700 « No Kings » protests in all 50 states—American citizens daring to say they didn’t want a king—Trump shared an AI-generated video. The 19-second video shows Trump wearing a crown in a fighter jet labeled « King Trump, » dropping what appears to be fecal matter on protesters gathered at Times Square in New York. Set to Kenny Loggins’ « Danger Zone, » naturally. Because nothing screams « presidential dignity » like virtually bombing your fellow citizens with excrement from an F-16.

Kenny Loggins issued a statement requesting his song be removed from the video: « This is an unauthorized use of my performance of ‘Danger Zone.’ No one asked my permission, which I would have refused, and I request that my recording on this video be removed immediately. » But whatever. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the video as « satire. » Oh yes, of course. Satire. The President of the United States sharing a video of himself bombing his peacefully protesting citizens with shit. What a fine humorist!

Buffoon of the Year

So here we are. A man who treats foreign presidents like subordinates, who bans real journalists to replace them with propagandists, who transforms the symbol of American democracy into a gilded palace worthy of Ludwig of Bavaria on Prozac, and who finds it amusing to portray himself as a monarch dropping excrement on his own people.

The American media? They oscillate between dismay and disbelief. Some still try to document this daily shipwreck of decency, despite the obstacles erected by this administration. Others, complicit or simply opportunistic, make themselves docile stenographers of presidential delirium.

Are our European leaders trembling? They’re right to. Because this character who believes he can do anything, who’s remaking the White House in the image of his billionaires’ club, who prefers Putin to his historic allies, and who shares scatological videos after being compared to a king, isn’t just crude, indelicate, or boorish. He’s dangerous. Dangerous for American democracy, dangerous for the international order, dangerous for all those who still believe that words have meaning and that institutions have value.

Trump won’t change. He’s proven it to us in a week, as he proves it to us every day. The real question is no longer who he is—a pathological narcissist doubled with a budding autocrat—but how much longer American institutions and the international community will endure this obscene circus before the big top collapses on our heads.

In the meantime, let’s console ourselves: at least, with his marble floors and golden cherubs, the shipwreck will have style. Tacky, would say the critics. But isn’t that the whole Trump story? An American tragedy played out in fake and faux gold, set to « Danger Zone » and digital fecal matter.

Buffoon of the year? That’s an understatement. Let’s rather say: the cackling gravedigger of Western political civility, plastic crown screwed on his skull, iPhone in hand, ready for the next selfie.

Joël-François Dumont