I’ve thought about Donald Trump approximately 3000% less in the past two months than I have over the past five years. It’s been a nice mental reprieve.
Not having to wake up every morning and care what Donald Trump was going to do that day has been like a vacation of the soul. Perhaps even the greatest thing since sliced bread (which as we all know is the greatest thing since Betty White).
But even though he hasn’t been staying in the apartment as much recently, Donald Trump does still maintain a residence in my head, rent-free, and I think that’s just going to be my cross to bear for the rest of my life.
Because no matter how far away we get from the Trump Presidency, no matter how little I see him in the news or how culturally irrelevant he becomes, still not a day goes by that I don’t find myself thinking about this quote from a 2018 news story:
“It was unclear whether the president was still joking by the time he finished his unscripted remarks regarding a space force.”
It’s been nearly three years. And I still, just…I can’t. I still have no idea how to unpack this concept. It confounds me on an existential level. I can barely even look directly at it.
Have you ever thought about this? I mean, really thought about it?
Today. Right now. Presently. We have a brand new branch of the US Military. Geared up to fight threats from outer space, as though we’re expecting the goddamn Decepticons to show up. That somehow lost a trademark battle with a Netflix original series over its name. And it was created only because the previous president brought it up once, idly, as a joke. A fucking joke.
And we have never as a nation sat down to have a conversation about this??
Look, I’m sorry for shouting, but…
HOW IS EVERYONE ELSE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE SPACE FORCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ALL. OF. THE. FREAKING. TIME? HOW ARE YOU ALL MOVING ON WITHOUT LETTING THIS CONSUME YOU? HOW DO YOU TURN OFF THE LITTLE RECORDING IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THAT FILLS ALL SILENCES WITH “IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE PRESIDENT WAS STILL JOKING BY THE TIME HE FINISHED HIS UNSCRIPTED REMARKS REGARDING A SPACE FORCE” AND WHY CAN’T I LEARN TO DO IT?
Is it just me? I’m the only person who just cannot and will not get over this?
Donald Trump’s tenure in office is becoming one of those weird little cultural blips/national shames (take your pick) that we all stop talking about, but I’m just not ready to let it go.
Not when I still have that quote knocking around in my head- all day, every day. Hell, I probably say it aloud at least once a week- you can ask my husband.
It represents so much, and yet it tells us so little.
It was, dare I say it…unclear.
And I will think about it forever.
That Type of Girl 