It's Time For The "Just Locker Room Talk" And Sanewashing To End - Trump Is Pushing The Country To The Brink

Dr. Rob Shapiro Joins Us Live at 1pm ET/Paid Subscribers Gather Tonight at 8pm

Morning all. Every morning I sit and write, trying to make sense of all the craziness swirling around us and bring to you what is most important that day. Hopium is not really a newsletter. It’s more of an importletter. I don’t chase the new each morning, as Trump wants us to do. I try to start focused and grounded in what’s most important that day, not just what’s new.

I don’t think wha I am about to share with you totally worked out in my head but here we go……

Trump’s madness, depravity and decline have become impossible to ignore. For years we’ve heard all sorts of rationales that soften what we see with our own eyes every day - was just “locker room talk”; he was just joking; all you guys have Trump derangement syndrome; he didn’t really mean it; oh those swollen ankles no biggie; he misspoke; no one has been hunted down or attacked like him; it was a peaceful protest; Putin wants peace; we aren’t cutting Medicaid; the tax cuts will pay for themselves; the tariffs won’t be paid for by American consumers, we’ve defeated inflation…..the list goes on and on.

Trump has from the day he came down that elevator ten years ago lived in a fictional world of fantasy and untruth of his own invention. His weaving of these fictions and the battle he has waged to make and keep them true has been his central project. But there is an objective reality out there, and Trump’s fictional world has occassionally crashed hard into it - they got blown out in the elections in 2018, lost 2020 and the red wave never came in 2022; hundreds of thousands of people died unnecessarily and the economy crashed in 2020 due his negligence; he is a 34 times felon; he did sexually assualt E. Jean Carroll in a department store dressing room. There are limits to his powers of invention and spell-casting. The Apprentice was eventually cancelled.

I don’t think we’ve ever really settled on how to describe what I am trying to get at here. Crazy like a fox, or crazy like a loon? Both? His clownish charm and superhuman capacity to remain in these fictional worlds he invents and cajole others to join him there have overwhelmed the legacy media’s he said/she said storytelling construct. He has in many ways hacked the media, and our broader information ecosystem. The show must always go on, and it does, every day; a show full of imaginary wins, of an adoring public, of adversaries bending the knee; a show of POWER, STRENGHT, VIRILITY, SUCCESS, VICTORY; a show of spectacle and outrage, of the new and bizarre, of cruelty and venality. The show must always go on.

The problem for Trump now is that folks just aren’t into the show and it’s ratings are tanking; people are coming to understand that his agenda really is one of sabotage, plunder and betrayal and he has no plans to make America great; and the rancid reality of what he is doing, not the story he has invented and sold to us, has begun to catch up to him, and unfortunately for all of us too.

Asked about the brutal polling we’ve seen here is what Trump said this week:

I have the best numbers I’ve ever had. You know, it’s amazing, I watch people on television, “Well, what about Donald Trump’s polling numbers?” Yeah, they’re the best numbers I’ve ever had.

And with this made-up hoax that they’re talking about, my numbers have gone up four and five points. They want to do anything to get us off the subject of making America great again, and we’re not gonna put up with it.

Here’s my new summary of the Economist/YouGov weekly tracking poll. So is Trump lying? Confused? No longer aware of what is happening around him?

The place where his fantasies and inventions are in the process of crashing hardest into reality is on his economic agenda and the tariffs. Here’s an article from the Boston Globe today that I’m quoted in, “Trump says he’s ‘solved the inflation problem.’ The economic data tell a different story”:

At least three times this month, President Trump has boasted about a past survey of him and dozens of economists, in which he bucked conventional wisdom and predicted his second-term policies would produce a booming US economy by this point, with no inflation.

“They called all of the great intellects and the great economists and all of the great everything,” Trump told reporters at the White House Tuesday. “It was 71 [economists] and only two got it right, me and another gentleman [who] happens to be very smart. Sixty-nine people got it wrong, and the [Federal Reserve] got it wrong, more wrong than anybody.”

There are two problems with Trump’s assertion. First, the White House has been unable to identify the survey he keeps referencing. And second, economic growth has slowed this year, and inflation has begun rising as the impact of Trump’s high tariffs starts kicking in.

So is Trump lying? Confused? No longer aware of what is happening around him?

Next Friday Trump has promised to double and triple the tariffs on most goods imported to the United States. Every economist will tell you it will bring extraordinary global choas; will slow the economy of every country in the world; and will dramatically raise prices here and spike inflation. While economists and global leaders warn about the coming storm, as we learned above Trump does not seem worried about these tariffs for HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THEY INCREASE PRICES and thus he proceeds.

A trade deal struck with Japan yesterday is being sold to us as big boon when it actually increase the tariffs on all goods imported from Japan by 50%, from 10% now to 15%. The price of all those low-cost Toyota cars you see on our roads are going to increase now by thousands of dollars. Here’s one commentator on what this all means for us, and how just fucking insane it all is:

Here’s how Paul Krugman described the deal this morning:

There are three main things you should take away from this deal:

1. It will increase, not reduce, the U.S. trade deficit

2. It will accelerate America’s descent into crony capitalism

3. U.S. consumers are still facing a major price shock

In a new article in the Washington Monthly, Trump’s Budget Could Break The Economy, our good friend and economist Dr. Rob Shapiro writes:

President Donald Trump is charting a course that may end in the economy’s third meltdown in less than 20 years. Whatever he and his economic courtiers think they’re doing, the waves of unprecedented budget deficits now under his One Big Beautiful Bill Act and his tariff war could trigger a grave economic crisis that will recall the Financial Crisis and the pandemic.

Rob will be joining us live today at 1pm ET to discuss this article and the growing dangers from Trump’s batshit crazy economic agenda. You can join our conversation by clicking here a little before 1pm ET.

As dangerous as Trump’s fantasies about the economy are, I am getting very, very concerned about his use of the US government itself to create false Trumpian narratives to threaten, intimidate and perhaps jail his perceived enemies including President Obama and Senator Adam Schiff. For:

1. Once you have knowingly taken steps that will kill millions and millions of the poorest children in the world and thrown legal American residents into foreign gulags without due process all the lines of a dangerous dictatorship have already been crossed

2. His declining approval, declining health (a new vulnerability) and loss of control over the Epstein scandal is creating new urgency, and Trump’s public performances in the past week have been arguably the most unhinged of the past 10 years. He has appeared far less in control of himself than ever before

3. Trump needs spectacle and triumphs and what of those are ahead for him? The tariffs are a debacle. House Republicans turned on him this week. The coming budget fight this fall will be ugly for him. Inflation is rising. As his agenda kicks in and things get worse for people he is likley to grow even more unpopular. Epstein is freaking him out. Elon has turned on him. Bibi has created a nightmare in Gaza. Putin isn’t bending the knee. What does he do now, where does he get wins? We should be concerned that he decides to go scorched earth against Democrats and his perceived enemies and turn the nation into a true dictatorship.

Come talk about all this with me and Rob today at 1pm ET, and for paid subscribers we will gather tonight at 8pm. What do we do? First, we need to keep doing what we’ve been doing and I’ve updated our campaigns and other actions so we can be doing more, not less, in the days ahead. But I also think it is time for some kind of national message from Democratic leaders not about kitchen table issues but the very real threat the nation faces now….

Trump’s attacks on Obama this week have to be seen as crossing a line, a very dangerous line; his insane economic and tariff strategy is doing incredible harm to the country and he is on the verge of making things far, far worse; his political and physical decline may be pushing him further away from reason and constraint, as is whatever is in the Epstein scandal that has so clearly terrified him.

What we have seen and heard this week is not locker room talk. It is the language of dictatorship and Mad Kings.

Our message can be simple - Donald Trump was elected to be a President, not a tryant. And it is the responsiblity of all in government and those who work for them, including Republican Members and the Supreme Court, to remain faithful to the Constitution and their oath office. Remaining faithful is not an option. The Constitution does not give advice. Too many laws have already been broken; too many people already hurt; too much damage to the country already done.

We are calling on Donald Trump and the people who work for him to be Americans; to be patriots; to exhibit love of country and to honor your oaths; and to a President of the greatest nation on Earth, working within our laws and Constitution. That should be enough. It is the office you ran for and won. Stop with these dictatorial fantasies. Work within our laws and Constitution. America was created to prevent Mad Kings from terrorizing their citizens. Honor that history, honor that greatness, honor that noble mission and stop with this unprecedented and dangerous betrayal of everything that has made America great for centuries. Being President of the greatest country on Earth is enough. It is the job you ran for and the job you must now do. It is time, Mr. Trump, do that job and stop aspiring to be Caeser, or Stalin, or Xi. That is not America. That is not who we are, and will never be.

Now….

Let’s Get To Work People!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here at Hopium we like to do. Here we are proud, plucky, patriots but we are also put your head down, grind it out, get shit done doers. Trump and Republicans have stumbled, and given us a big opportunity now to tell our story and win back power. While are there so many things people can do to advance our cause I am partial to two sets of activities - support our candidates and party committees, and call/contact your elected officials every day. So what follows is our recommendations to make your time and money are being put to the highest and best use in this critical election cycle……

Support Hopium’s Priority Candidates And Party Committees - Just set new fundraising goals for Labor Day, now remarkably six weeks away. Election Day is less than four months away and early voting starts in Virginia starts in less than two months - September 19th! Donate, volunteer, learn more about our candidates and opportunities here….

• Mikie Sherrill NJ Gov (2025) - $200,000 goal, $39k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Rep. Sherrill

• Abigail Spanberger VA Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $154k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Abigail Spanberger

• Jon Ossoff GA Senate (2026) - $200,000 goal, $39k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer

• Hopium House 7 (2026) - $250,000 goal, $169k raised - Donate | Learn More, Volunteer, Watch My Interviews With Our Great Members

• The New DNC - $200,000 goal $122,000 raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch My Interviews With Ken Martin and Jane Kleeb

Our Recommended Actions - Here are other actions you can take outside of our direct electoral work:

1 - Call your Senators and Reps To Demand They Revoke Trump’s Terrible Tariffs - Congress simply must take back its tariff authority that Trump has illegally and unconstitutional seized and dangerously abused; and at the very least they must stop what will be Trump’s ruinous new tariff increases slated to start on August 1st. Trump’s economic plan has failed, and we need to find a better way forward.

2 - Get The Military Off Our Streets, Fight Trump’s Inhumane Immigration Escalation - Contact your Rep and Senators to demand they fight Trump’s illegal use of the National Guard and Marines in California. Encourage Democrats at all levels of government to a stand with Governor Newsom and the California - for Trump is not just attacking California, he is attacking the rights and freedoms of all of us. See my recent interviews with David Leopold Joe Garcia, Leon Krauze and Senator Chris Van Hollen for more.

In the coming days I want to work with all of you to do something more explicit about demanding the end of masked, plain clothes “police” snatching people here in America without warrants.

3 - Bring “Resolutions Of Condemnation” To Your Community - Inspired by the tactics of our Founders learn about how Hopium members are advancing “Resolutions of Condemnation” in their communities across the country and consider bringing this initiative to your state, country or city/town. Remarkably, members of this community are now advancing 50 resolutions projects in 20 states. Can we get to all 50 by the fall election?

Our newly updated Resolutions page includes a new chat for folks to report in on their progress or seek counsel from those interested in launching a resolutions project in their community. This is one way to fight back against Trump’s unprecedened abandonment of our Constitutional order.

4 -Volunteer To Help Your State and/or Local Democratic Parties Stand Up Voter Registration Efforts And Support “Organizing Summer” - In the presentation he made to our community recently Tom Bonier made a persuasive case that Democrats must once again make partisan voter registration a national priority. State and local Democratic Parties are in the planning stages to take this on. Members of our community should consider contacting their state and local parties and offer to help stand up these vital efforts in the coming months.

The DNC, the DSCC, the DCCC, the DGA and the ASDC have announced a major new “Organizing Summer” project. Learn more about it here. For more on what the DNC and state and local parties are intending to do this election cycle see my recent interviews with DNC Chair Ken Martin and ASDC President Jane Kleeb.

5 - Support Brave US Government Staff and Scientists Fighting To Protect Our Global Scientific Leadership - Staff at 3 of the most important US science agencies - NIH, EPA and NASA - have now courageously filed letters of discontent against their leadership. Learn more and sign your name to support these remarkable initiatives, and do you part to fight to main America’s global scientific leadership!

• NIH Bethesda Declaration

• EPA Letter Of Dissent

• NASA Voyager Declaration

For more watch my interviews with 1) Colette Delawalla, Executive Director of the advocacy organization Stand Up For Science 2) Dr. Michael Mann, a world leading climate scientist, and author of the forthcoming book, Science Under Siege. Also be sure to read Dr. Mann’s recent article co-written with Dr. Peter Hotez, “A Triple Threat to Humanity: Climate Change, Pandemics, Anti-Science.” It has been an important touchstone for me in this fight.

6 - Review and Comment On Hopium’s Working Agenda - Many of you have noted that we must do more than oppose, we must also propose and make clear to the American people what they will get if they put us back in power. To that end, with input from many of you, I’ve drafted an initial 2026 Agenda. Check it out here, offer comments and improvements, take it into your communities and create discussions and debates about who we are, and what story we want to tell to our voters this fall and next year.

7 - Grow Hopium And This Wonderful Community Of Proud, Plucky, Patriots - We’ve set a goal of trying to grow the Hopium community from the 152,000 we are now to 175,000 by Labor Day. Do what you can to encourage your friends, family and colleagues to become a summer subscriber to Hopium, free or paid. If each current paid subscriber brings in just one new subscriber this summer we will hit our goal.

To encourage the growth of our community annual paid subscriptions are 10% off through Labor Day. Use that link to buy gift or group subscriptions, and join our new referral rewards program too.

Finally, please self-report your activities to our daily paid subscriber chat. These reports help inspire all of us to do more and fight harder! Been impressive to see how many of you remain involved in local, in person protests of all kinds in your communities. Keep it up!!!

Keep working hard all. Proud to be in this fight with all of you, and a fight it surely is - Simon