Donald Trump has faced criticism for appearing to focus on trivial matters while the death toll from the US-Israel war on Iran continues to rise. Experts have described the president's recent behaviour as a 'mix-up of priorities', as he spends time playing golf, posting old photographs and dwelling on a personal feud with comedian Bill Maher.
Last Sunday, the Pentagon announced that a seventh US service member had been killed in the conflict. Trump spent the day playing golf in Florida, reportedly wearing the same baseball cap he had worn during a dignified transfer ritual for dead military members the previous day. Later that day, at a 'Shield of the Americas' summit, he told Latin American leaders that his secretary of state, Marco Rubio, had a 'language advantage' because Rubio speaks Spanish, and spoke at length about the importance of good interpreters.
Earlier in the week, Trump posted eight times on social media about his falling out with Bill Maher, who has no connection to the war. On 3 March, when the Pentagon named four US military personnel killed in the conflict, Trump did not mention them on his Truth Social account. Instead, he posted a photograph of himself with the text 'the most badass president of all time', an image boasting about State of the Union viewership, and a decades-old video of his engagement announcement.
Emmitt Riley III, associate professor of politics at the University of the South, said the behaviour reflected a 'mix-up of priorities'. He added that Trump's age appeared to be affecting him, with reports of him falling asleep in cabinet meetings and being temperamental. Riley also questioned how a billionaire could be expected to care about the wellbeing of ordinary Americans, particularly as petrol prices have risen by about 20% since the war began.
Trump has touted the importance of low gas prices but also argued that higher oil prices benefit the US as the world's largest producer. Critics say this stance ignores the concerns of Americans facing rising costs and potential inflation. The White House has not commented on the president's recent conduct.
