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John M. Mishler is a former associate vice chancellor for research and a professor of basic life sciences, medicine, and pharmacology at the University of Missouri. He resides in Harpswell.
When the Trump era began a decade ago, “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) was then a catchy political slogan, but the sentiment is only true if subsequently undertaken with real conviction. However, since MAGA’s inception, citizens in this country, as well as those in other nations, are now expressing their obvious distrust of this supposedly worthwhile goal. What is causing both this national and international distrust?
Could it be because Donald Trump wants to reign as king?
Could it be our diminished support for NATO, the European Union, and Ukraine? Could it be removing American troops from Germany and Poland, as well as projected troop withdrawals from Spain and Italy?
Was it illegal tariffs placed on products manufactured by our European, Western Hemisphere, and Asian allies?
Could it be the unjustified war with Iran? Was it the utterance of possible war crimes against the Iranian civilization? Could it be likely war crimes committed in both the Caribbean and the Pacific? Could it be, as a result of the Iranian war, the world economy is suffering unnecessarily?
Was it the threat of taking over Greenland or the potential invasion of Cuba? Making Canada our 51st state? Could it be the absence of support and protection for innocent citizens in Gaza and Lebanon?
Could it be the rampant, overt and widespread corruption occurring throughout our government? Could it be the financial enrichment of Trump, his family, and their associates? The “slush fund” for criminals?
Could it be the blatant political influence placed upon our Departments of Justice and Defense? Could it be the rolling back of environmental and clean energy laws safeguarding our planet? Could it be that vital functions of our federal government are controlled by unqualified and incompetent administrators?
Could it be that Trump wants to control the Federal Reserve system and, thus, overall monetary policy, which would greatly influence national and international financial markets?
Was it our brutal enforcement of domestic immigration policies and the construction of horrendous detention centers? Could it be our culture of guns and mass shootings?
Could it be rolling back provisions of the Voting Rights Act, thus allowing congressional districts to undergo gerrymandering, often in order to favor Republicans in Southern states?
Could it be reduced support for USAID? Could it be our withdrawal from the World Health Organization? Could it be our inefficient and uneven healthcare programs?
Too many selfish billionaires?
Have these egregious actions and miscalculations really made ”America Great Again” or more trustworthy? No. As a direct consequence of the Trump/MAGA political era, America’s past stellar national and international reputation, as the “shining city upon a hill,” has become severely tarnished. Why did it happen?
I see it as the direct result of a malignant combination of class warfare, greed, wealth inequality, overt corruption, mismanagement, and poor decision-making. By enforcement of their toxic admixture of poorly crafted national and international policies, Trump and his MAGA enablers have allowed the “shining city” to evolve into a “shadowy slum,” and to subsequently undermine our long-standing concepts of “We the People” and “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” and replaced these noble precepts with a “Me First” mentality.
Can our shining city reputation ever be restored, nationally and internationally and, if so, how? Yes, if “We the People” organize and promote the proposition that our future collective needs and dreams are equal to or, better yet, more important than those of individuals motivated by wealth, corruption, and greed. By what mechanism can this occur?
Simply by voting. The 2026 midterm elections will provide an ample opportunity for Americans to elect candidates who fully embrace “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” and “We the People” precepts. By doing so, “We the People” can usher in a new and more humane era embraced both by our nation and by nations worldwide, namely, “Make America Trustworthy Again” (MATA). Why? Because we need to “trust” ourselves, as do other foreign countries. Therefore, when voting, support MATA candidates!