Online Public Relations Thoughts

Will Elon Musk be the focus of Trump's ire now that he criticized the "big, beautiful budget bill?"  Trump is savage toward those who are not loyalists.  Musk needs to learn how to bow and scrape with the rest of Trump's people.  

What damage will come from the cuts in university funding by the Trump administration?  Already a brain drain of scientists has started as countries recruit them away.  Do Republicans understand what they are doing to the nation?  

 Trump is now saying that Putin has gone crazy because Putin is still bombarding Ukrainian cities.  What did Trump expect?  Putin has no impetus to stop the war.  His people appear to back him.  He has more troops and munitions and he is making slow progress at the front. A pragmatic leader like Putin needs a good reason to stop the war.  Since he has none, he is playing Trump like a fiddle.

Trump's barring of foreign students at Harvard is revenge against the university for failing to bow to his wishes.  It's the move of an autocrat.  Here's a hope that Harvard with its endowment can withstand the assault. 

When are nations and their citizens going to realize that eye-for-eye, tooth-for-tooth violence solves nothing.  It perpetuates death and destruction and prevents peaceful solutions and diplomacy.  Getting even never gets even.  There is always a deficit.  At some point, there needs to be an end and pain left unassuaged.  The sooner the better.  

 A sure sign of narcissism and disrespect for the office of the President. 

The Penske Indycar racing team has been caught in another cheating scandal at the Indianapolis Speedway and has been punished by having its cars put in last place in the field.  The sad part is that Penske himself is known for his integrity in the sport and this second incident comes as a blow to his reputation. Did Penske know what his mechanics were doing in the garage?  He should have, which hurts all the more.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

What kind of employee relations do you need to prevent revolts like this?  Starbucks is not consulting with its people before acting and it should. 

Public opinion does matter.  Just ask Elon Musk with thousands of unsold cybertrucks clogging his parking lots.  Musk shot himself in the foot with his Washington DC misadventures and now he has to find a way out of the mess he made.  It won't be easy but if he keeps his head down, people might forget his time with DOGE.

Who would argue that Qatar's leaders are not buying influence by giving President Trump a $500 million jet?  Of course they are as the Democrats argue.  Trump doesn't see it that way, but he wouldn't?  The jet is a symbol of corruption and should be treated that way, but it won't be because Republicans are in power.  

 By any standard, the Trump administration blinked first in the Chinese trade war.  We'll know for sure in 90 days.  Trump's door-in-the-face negotiating style is unsettling to both industry and allies.  It sends a wrong message and upsets long-term treaties among countries.  He ought to know better, but he doesn't. 

President Trump fired the Librarian of Congress by a short email with no explanation.  She had one more year to go on her appointment.  The firing was without cause.  Trump just wants someone else in the role who sucks up to him.  His administration's handling of personnel matters is disgraceful, rude and crude -- just like the man.  He has no idea of public relations and he glories in his power. How did we ever elect him?  

What do you do as a communicator when your boss is showing signs of mental illness?  A coverup is dangerous, especially if the boss is a US Senator.  Do you work behind the scenes to get the word out, whispering to reporters on an off-the-record basis?  Do you remain intensely loyal? Do you resign?  Do you talk to your boss and urge him to get help?  There are no easy answers in a situation like this.  Yet, it is happening now.  

US intelligence agencies have undercut Trump's justification for using a wartime act to expel foreign gangs from the country.  That written, it won't stop Trump from using forced deportations.  He disregards law and the Constitution in his greed for power.  So far, no one has been able to stop him even though the courts have ruled against him repeatedly.  Dictators refuse to bow to law.  Read into that as you will.  

He's a master at keeping himself in the news and headlines.  His latest salvo on reopenng Alcatraz is an example of that.  He seems to believe that keeping voters talking about him is a way to maintain and boost his popularity.  If so, it isn't working.  

The President of the United States suddenly hides behind his lawyers when asked if some of his actions are constituional.  Convenient and arm's length but not credible.  He is the boss.  He should know.  

NPR and PBS are now having to live without Federal funding. It will be difficult to leave the government trough but they will do it and survive in a reduced state.  Here is a wish of good luck to both.  Trump might eventually wish he hadn't signed the executive order.  

 What's in it for me?  Ukraine can only hope the US stands by its security pledge.