Say Something Real
By Michelle Bryant
Michelle Bryant
Donald Trump’s performance during his recent public address brought to mind a familiar holiday figure, “The Grinch.” Just as the furry green villain stood atop Mount Crumpit, looking down on Whoville with a mixture of envy, irritation, and ambition, Trump seems to view America, his own Whoville, as a land over which he should preside. The Grinch’s most memorable trait is his ability to stir up chaos, all while insisting he alone knows what’s best for the town below. In much the same way, Trump’s prime-time address radiated a sense that only he could rescue the nation from its ills, ignoring the role he played in creating them.
With his approval ratings falling to historic lows, Trump seemed compelled by circumstance to deliver a year-in-review holiday message. The result was a performance, not intended to address the American people, but rather an exercise in self-persuasion. His words, though rapid and emphatic, betrayed an undercurrent of defensiveness. The speech was marked by a creepy energy, which felt more like paranoia, in which Trump tried to convince both the public and himself that he was not failing.
What should have been a moment of reflection and unity became, instead, a blame game. Trump has been the President for nearly a year. However, he laid a laundry list of the nation’s woes at the feet of Joe Biden (who, at this point, let’s face it, is looking more like Santa Claus). Many of the issues Trump criticized have deep roots in his own administration, both the first and current fiasco passing for leadership. In his trademark style, though, Trump talked fast but ultimately said very little of substance.
Trump’s 18-minute speech was an attempt at deflection. Moving quickly between topics, whether inflation, immigration, global instability, or anything in between, his remarks lacked depth. When discussing inflation, tax refunds, and tariff-fueled checks to soldiers, all I could envision was the Grinch stealing Christmas presents. In some cases, Trump bore no gifts at all. As proof, he failed to mention staggering Black unemployment, which currently sits at 8.4% and is nearly double the rate for other demographics. He offered no solution to the millions of Americans facing the loss of their health care insurance and lacked substance in speaking about the issue of affordability.
In fact, Trump recast the narrative of American hardship where possible and absolved himself of any responsibility for what he couldn’t defend. Swaying between misinformation and deliberate mistruths, Trump appeared to be making up statistics on the fly. Prescription drug prices, he claimed, had been cut by 400-600%. His ploy to appeal to his base’s perceived patriotism, he announced plans to issue “warrior” checks with the proceeds from recently imposed tariff revenues. One problem: the Supreme Court still must weigh in on the legality of Trump’s tariffs. Second problem: The tariffs, as currently designated, would not generate enough money to cover those checks. The Grinch would be proud.
Utilizing selective storytelling, Trump actually sounded like he was running for the President of Whoville, promising to “fix” everything. However, even children who read “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” typically understand the lesson that Dr. Seuss, the book’s author, was trying to convey: real leadership comes not from sowing division or casting blame, but from embracing community and responsibility.
As we look to the new year, Americans deserve more than finger-pointing and empty rhetoric. The nation’s challenges are too complex for simplistic blame, partisan scorekeeping, or fairytales about our country’s condition. If leaders truly want to serve the public, whether in America or Whoville, they must offer honesty, accountability, and real solutions