Republicans have signaled that President Donald Trump is "falling apart" and issuing desperate pleas for his MAGA followers.
Salon's White House columnist Brian Karem described Friday how Trump's reactions to ICE's brutality in Minnesota has left Republicans questioning the president and calling out his "ineptitude."
"It is apparent we’ve reached the point of no return. Untethered by reality, the Trump circus can no longer surprise any of us. But it is a growing danger to all of us — and the Republicans know it," Karem wrote.
Privately — and publicly — GOP leaders have expressed doubt about Trump's mindset.
"When I heard this week that Trump nailed a photo of himself and Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader accused of war crimes, on a wall in the White House, I couldn’t pretend to be surprised — even after several Republicans with private courage and public fealty reached out to me. 'That’s sending the wrong message,' they said. 'What is wrong with him?'" Karem wrote.
"The delusional, demented president, along with the elected nattering nabobs of narcissism in the MAGA party who inhabit Congress and dominate the Supreme Court, have left us at a point where facts do not exist," Karem added.
And earlier this week, a bizarre, threatening fundraising email for Trump warned MAGA donors that if they didn't respond to a survey validating they are American citizens would be tracked down by ICE. He later changed his tune and continued his plea for money in a new email message on Wednesday night, Karem explained.
"Trump was still begging supporters for money on Wednesday night, but because of the day’s activities, he sent a new email in which he backed off from threatening his supporters with being hunted by ICE. 'Respectfully, I’m asking, do you still love me?' he asked, and requested his supporters to take another poll," Karem wrote.