Another Dizzying Day in the Trump Presidency

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/18/opinion/letters/trump-chaos.html

Version 0 of 1.

To the Editor:

“I read the news today, oh boy.”

“A Day in the Life” of the Trump presidency:

Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, admits there was a quid pro quo in Ukraine.

Some Republican members of Congress say it is O.K. with them to ignore the emoluments clause of the Constitution and hold the Group of 7 summit at the president’s resort.

Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, has convenient lapses in reading or hearing the news.

Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo strike a deal that gives Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, exactly what he wants.

Rick Perry, secretary of Oops, is running away as fast as he can.

The worst thing is that I have become inured to it all.

Fred PolvereYonkers

To the Editor:

Re “U.S. Deal Lets Erdogan Keep Troops in Syria” (front page, Oct. 18):

Vice President Mike Pence capitulated to all of Turkey’s demands and received nothing in return. Abandoning our partner in fighting ISIS was followed by the searing, abject betrayal through a deal that gave Turkey Kurdish lands it seized, along with an assurance that the Kurds would retreat.

The “cease-fire” is merely Turkey giving the Kurds five days to comply before re-engaging in war. Our honor and reputation are now buried under the rot of President Trump’s perfidy.

Nancy GanzNewton, Mass.

To the Editor:

Re “E.U. Envoy Testifies That Trump Delegated Policy to Giuliani” (news article, Oct. 18):

Really? We’re to believe that Gordon Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, didn’t know that Hunter Biden was involved in Burisma when Rudolph Giuliani demanded that Ukraine investigate the company, and that Mr. Sondland believed President Trump’s claim of wanting nothing from the Ukrainians?

Is Mr. Sondland lying, or is he just so incompetent that he doesn’t know basic information about a country in which he’s involved — though I don’t know why the ambassador to the European Union would be involved in Ukraine, which isn’t even an E.U. member.

James BerkmanBoston

To the Editor:

Re “President Picks a Summit Site. Its Name May Sound Familiar” (front page, Oct. 18):

This self-dealing by President Trump must stop. I am happy to have the Trump National Doral host next year’s G7 summit with either of two options:

1) During the duration of the summit, Doral suspends all charges for attendees from foreign countries, news organizations and members of the administration and support staff.

2) Mr. Trump hosts the meeting as a private citizen after resigning from the presidency.

Option No. 2 is my preference.

Douglas McNeillChesapeake, Va.

To the Editor:

The argument that the president would host the G7 at Doral “at cost” is sooooo bogus! The event is held during the slow summer season when many hotel rooms would be empty. I’m sure other resorts would love to have their fixed operating costs covered by a large conference.

Jan OwensMount Pleasant, Wis.