I apologize for my sudden lack of “Always Saturday” support. I listened to a political commentary overnight, and it stayed with me. I could not sleep, and I have not been able to stop thinking about it since. Donald Trump’s actions have troubled me ever since his election to a second term, and those frustrations have steadily built.
I came into this world just a few months after World War II, at a time when the United States emerged from that conflict with enormous power, prestige, and global influence. America had helped defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and in the years that followed it played a central role in rebuilding Europe through the Marshall Plan and shaping a new international order. For many Americans of my generation, that period defined the country at its strongest and most respected.
The Korean War meant little to me because I was too young to understand it. Vietnam, however, became part of the reality of my generation. More than 58,000 Americans died in that war, and many more returned wounded in body or mind. The war divided the country, eroded trust in government, and left lasting scars on the people who fought it and the families who lived through it. At the time, I was beginning my own adult life, building a career, raising a very young family, and later earning a master’s degree in computer science.
When I reflect on those years, I realize that, based on my birth date, I likely would have been drafted and sent to Vietnam if I had not had a parent deferment. That has never been a small thought to me. My closest cousin did go there. He survived and came home, but Agent Orange left him permanently damaged and seriously handicapped. Millions of gallons of herbicides were used during the war, and for many veterans and their families the consequences lasted long after the fighting ended.
Vietnam was never justified in my mind, and it cost the lives of far too many young men of my generation. The Iraq War brought back much of that same disillusionment. It was sold in large part on the claim that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, and when those stockpiles were never found, many Americans were left with the painful conclusion that the country had again been led into a devastating war on false premises. That war cost thousands of American lives, far greater numbers of Iraqi lives, and trillions of dollars.
One of the commandments of the religion I grew up with is, “Thou shalt not kill.” Yet throughout my life I have seen little evidence that nations, or even religions themselves, truly live by that principle when power, fear, and conflict take over. Again and again, leaders speak of necessity, honor, security, or destiny, and again and again ordinary human beings pay the price.
That is why what I heard last night affected me so deeply. At my age, history no longer feels abstract. I have lived long enough to watch America move from the moral clarity of World War II into the ambiguity, deception, and human cost of later wars. I have seen how easily fear can be used, how quickly patriotism can be manipulated, and how often the burden falls on families, soldiers, and civilians rather than on the people who make the decisions.
So, when I listened to reports about the latest conflict into which the United States has been drawn, I did not hear only today’s headlines. I heard echoes of earlier failures. I heard the same familiar pattern of danger, confusion, and escalation. And I could not help feeling that once again we are being led into crisis by a president I believe is profoundly unfit for the responsibility he holds.
The commentary I heard alleged that Donald Trump had encouraged ships to continue transiting the Strait of Hormuz by saying, “There’s nothing to be afraid of.” It then reported that commercial vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf later came under attack, with fires reported on some ships, and that Iran claimed responsibility for some of those attacks. It also said the stock market initially rose, then fell after an Energy Secretary post was deleted, and that the Energy Secretary later stated that the U.S. Navy was not yet ready to escort tankers through the strait because military assets were focused elsewhere.
The same commentary claimed that the war with Iran is unpopular in the United States, that gasoline prices have risen, and that the stock market has declined. It argued that there is no clear evidence of a democratic outcome or regime change in Iran and suggested that the conflict could become prolonged and economically damaging.
It also referred to attacks in the United States, including one at Old Dominion University and one at a synagogue in Michigan, and warned of possible Iranian-linked terrorism or cyberattacks. It further alleged that a major company in western Michigan was recently hit by a cyberattack possibly tied to Iran, while also claiming that the Trump administration had reduced the number of cybersecurity professionals.
Another part of the transcript turned to domestic politics. Senator Adam Schiff argued that ICE already has substantial funding, including a large increase in its budget for weapons and equipment, but lacks sufficient rules and oversight. He said that courts, including judges appointed by Republicans and by Trump, had found repeated violations of court orders by ICE. He also argued that many Republicans were unwilling to oppose the president.
The transcript then discussed a large bipartisan Senate housing bill that reportedly passed 89–10 despite Trump urging Senate Republicans not to vote on other legislation before the SAVE Act. Schiff argued that housing affordability and homelessness remain major public concerns and criticized Trump for dismissing housing as unimportant. He predicted that more Republican senators may break with Trump as the midterm elections approach.
Another section focused on the costs of the Iran war. Schiff and others argued that war spending is diverting money away from domestic needs such as hospitals and affordable housing while also increasing fuel and food costs. Congressman Adam Smith said U.S. weapons stockpiles were being depleted and criticized the administration for not clearly stating its war objectives or providing transparency about remaining munitions and military operations.
The transcript also covered Georgia politics. Senator Jon Ossoff said that a Democrat leading in a special primary in a conservative Georgia district reflected growing opposition to Trump among Democrats, independents, and some Republicans. Ossoff also said that Georgia farmers were being hurt by rising fertilizer and diesel prices, worsened by disruptions tied to the Strait of Hormuz and by trade retaliation.
Another section addressed the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Congressman Ro Khanna said that Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accountant testified before the House Oversight Committee and identified five clients who paid Epstein: Les Wexner, Glenn Dubin, Steven Sinofsky, the Rothschilds, and Leon Black. Khanna said the committee wants more information about those financial relationships and about possible settlements involving alleged victims. He also said that the Department of Justice and FBI had not adequately investigated Epstein’s finances or associates.
Finally, Andrew Weissmann said that any serious investigation into Epstein would examine the accountant’s records, the staff around Epstein, and prior FBI and Justice Department work to determine what had and had not been investigated. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse was also described as warning the Justice Department and FBI to preserve records related to Epstein materials, including any records concerning sexual assault allegations involving Trump.
What troubles me most is not just any one report or allegation, but the larger pattern they suggest: rising danger abroad, rising division at home, increasing economic strain, and a government that appears reactive, unsteady, and unwilling to speak clearly about the costs and consequences of war. For someone who has lived through the aftermath of World War II, Vietnam, and Iraq, that pattern feels grimly familiar.
