Budapest Didn't Get the Memo -- and Neither Should You
It is a small thing, and people look at me like I have a screw loose when I say it. But I make it my business to correct anyone who refers to what we are currently living through as Donald Trump’s “second term.” It is not his second term. It is his second non-consecutive term. That distinction is not a technicality. It is not a grammatical preference. It is the entire argument. The moment we let the language get sloppy, we let the history get sloppy. And when history gets sloppy, we repeat it.
The American electorate made a decision in 2020. They fired Donald Trump. The electoral college confirmed it. The courts — including courts stacked with his own appointments — confirmed it. And then, four years later, enough voters changed their minds to send him back. That is their right. This is a democracy. But what is not acceptable is pretending the firing never happened. What is not acceptable is treating his return like a natural continuation of something rather than what it actually is — a historic anomaly with a dangerous precedent attached to it. Words matter. Especially in politics. Especially now.
And while we are on the subject of language — let’s talk about third terms. Because Trump has openly flirted with the idea of running for one. And before his supporters could even finish celebrating that trial balloon, Obama supporters jumped in with “well if we’re doing that then Barack should get one too.” I need both camps to hear me clearly. No. To Trump — your second non-consecutive term is already historically dangerous enough without adding a third chapter to the story. And to the Obama supporters — I understand the nostalgia. I genuinely do. The man was competent, dignified, and coherent in complete sentences, which after the last few years feels almost exotic. But his time is done. Two terms is the rule. The moment you argue around it for your guy, you handed the other side the same argument for theirs. You cannot close a door you just propped open. The 22nd Amendment exists for a reason. It does not have a feelings exception.
Before we talk about Budapest, let’s talk about the body count. Because Donald Trump’s endorsement — once treated as a golden ticket, a political superpower, a force of nature that could drag any candidate across any finish line — has been quietly bleeding out for months. And the people closest to him have been too busy performing loyalty to notice the patient flatlining.
https://www.lincolnsquare.media/p/budapest-didnt-get-the-memo-and-neither