To the editor:

America doesn’t feel the same with a man, desperate for attention and approval, leading our country. It was a concern for many from the beginning. Did Trump, a former TV show reality host and a bragging millionaire playboy, have the knowledge, integrity and temperament to be a US President? Or was he just high on being an adored celebrity?

What Trump did have was the ability to entertain. He used his acting skills, wooing audiences by telling them he loved them, by making unrealistic promises, and by exaggerating with a straight face. As a result, we have a president with a loyal fan base convinced he knows what he’s doing (and a profoundly concerned segment of America that’s realized he doesn’t).

Trump has attracted the loyalty of 1.) armed militia groups stockpiling weapons for a civil war — believing the NRA’s fear-mongering propaganda that the government will come and take away their guns 2.) Neo-Nazi and other hate groups agreeing with Trump that white males are superior 3.) Christian nationalist groups who think that we, as citizens, don’t have the right to choose any other religion 4.)conspiracy theorists drawn to the intrigue of being “in the know” 5.) his millionaire/billionaire friends who want to run our country as a private business that profits their corporations and stock options.

Meanwhile, Trump keeps right on pushing the boundaries of diplomacy, wisdom and legality, and his cowardly Republican politicians huddle behind him. Bullying the leaders of our former allies to impress his fans? Using our DOJ to get personal revenge against people who’ve pointed out his abuse of the law and the Constitution? Using heavily armed, masked men to sweep innocent people off the streets so he can claim he’s solving the “illegal immigrant” problem? Randomly firing thousands of experienced federal personnel so he can claim he’s “saving money?”

America doesn’t feel the same because of an out-of-control, dictatorial president. And because members within families and communities aren’t talking to one another — having been convinced by “someone” that if a person doesn’t love Trump (or Stefanik), they’re the enemy. And that “someone” would be Trump, his compliant politicians and his right-wing media.

Trump sure did pull a fast one by claiming that any media reporting details negatively affecting his “tough guy” image and his need to be “right” was fake news and a “witch hunt.” So, Trump and Stefanik supporters only heard one side of the story and never questioned what they heard, no matter how outrageous. They chose not to receive concrete explanatory information from experts in history, economics, medicine, science, global dynamics or constitutional legality. They chose to believe highly-paid TV/radio entertainers and the select Trump-friendly reporters Trump allowed in press briefings, after banning the others.

And now, thanks to Trump, we have 17 of those Fox “experts” (hosts and contributors) placed in sensitive US administrative positions affecting our health, safety and national security. No wonder America doesn’t feel as stable and rational as it used to.

Martha Hodges

Massena