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By Kim Shinkoskey

Erica Green recently wrote a thoughtful article about President Trump’s constant contradicting of himself over things like Greenland, Gaza, Black History Month, a third term, whether to condemn criminals or pardon them, and whether Zelensky is a dictator or not. Since her article, we have also been treated to the question of whether he is going to implement massive “reciprocal” tariffs on the whole world or not. The president has a distinct tendency to do a 180 or even come back 360 degrees to his initial policy. One observer calls this “whiplash,” another calls it “cover,” another “domination,” yet another “lying.” Some supporters simply say it is merely a negotiating tactic. (“‘You Can’t Pin Him Down’: Trump’s Contradictions Are His Ultimate Cover,” New York Times, 3-8-25.)

One example Ms. Green gave was Greenland. Trump said, “We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.” Moments later, he said offhandedly, “One way or the other, we’re going to get it [Greenland].”

What Trump is really doing politically is appealing to both sides of an issue. This has historically been called “speaking with a forked tongue,” something the proverbial talking snake in the Bible was wont to do.

God said not to eat the fruit of the tree in “the midst of the garden” or even touch it, “lest ye die.” But the devil, or Satan, sometimes taking God’s side, this time said that Adam and Eve could go ahead and eat that fruit because they would not surely die. While God says people need boundaries in this life, otherwise known as ethics and laws, the forked-tongue serpent says boundaries are not necessary.

Trump says it is okay to go ahead and grab a new female acquaintance by the crotch, go with the flow, present yourself both as a peacemaker and a warlord, usurp Congress’ lawmaking and spending powers, and then tell the people you are restoring true democracy—confuse people so much they will rely on you for a pathway through all the uncertainty.

This is not the first time the United States has seen a president famous for constantly changing course. One observer said of President Woodrow Wilson that anyone who followed him down a political path was almost certain to meet him coming in the opposite direction. He changed from being staunchly pro-business to being staunchly pro-union. He was totally against getting America into World War I, and soon enough he was the biggest champion of getting the country into the war. He promised America freedom of information about the war, then imposed a wall of secrecy and censored opposing viewpoints. He was a perfect example of a flip-flopping politician flattering people on both sides of an issue in order to get to a point of autocratic power.

The White House press secretary says Trump is “the most accessible and transparent president in American history.” He is accessible because he loves people treating him like the font of all wisdom, the answerer of all questions. He is open and transparent like a desert mirage. When you look at the mirage, you always see plenty of clear water nearby.

A “forked-tongue devil” deals in pleasure and treachery, hope and disappointment, truth and lie, salvation and destruction. All of this is a great deal of fun, especially for the political authoritarians who ride all the uncertainty and confusion into lifelong luxury and long-term power.

Ordinarily, it would be good for Americans to know the truth about national politics, but most Americans today are not interested in truth. They are only interested in localized fun, government benefits, as little science and history as possible, and a lot of evil mixed in with a little good. The truth just muddies that beautiful desert mirage and puts a damper on all that fun. Who has even heard of Woodrow Wilson anyway?

(Robert Kimball Shinkoskey is the author of The American Kings: Growth in Presidential Power from George Washington to Barack Obama [2014].)