OUR 친애하는 지도자: TO BE RIDICULED OR PITIED—OR BOTH?

ACCORDING TO GOOGLE TRANSLATE, THE KOREAN IN TODAY’S TITLE IS CHIN-AEHANEUN JIDOJA, “Dear Leader,” an honorific I’ve not yet heard applied to Donald J. Trump. 

However, recent occurrences bring it to mind: actions at the National Park Service, the Smithsonian, and in a lengthy interview with The New York Times. And they also raise the question as to whether Trump as a person should be ridiculed, pitied, or both. 

Trump the Narcissist. Windsor Johnston reports, “National Park Service Will Void Passes with Sticker Over Trump’s Face,” NPR, January 9, 2026: “Since 2004, the pass has typically showcased sweeping landscapes or iconic wildlife, selected through a public photo contest. Past winners have featured places like Arches National Park in Utah and images of bison roaming the plains.”

The Interior Department’s new “America the Beautiful” annual pass for U.S. national parks. Image from the Department of the Interior.

Johnston observes, “The use of an image of Trump on the 2026 pass—rather than the usual picture of nature—has sparked a backlash, sticker protests, and a lawsuit from a conservation group…. Photos circulating online show that many national park cardholders have covered the image of Trump’s face with stickers of wildlife, landscapes, and yellow smiley faces, while some have completely blocked out the whole card. The backlash has also inspired a growing sticker campaign.”

Johnson quotes Jenny McCarty, a longtime park volunteer and graphic designer who is selling custom stickers meant to fit directly over Trump’s face—with 100% of proceeds going to conservation nonprofits: “We made our first donation of $16,000 in December. The power of community is incredible.”

He continues, “McCarty says the sticker movement is less about politics and more about preserving the neutrality of public lands. ‘The Interior’s new guidance only shows they continue to disregard how strongly people feel about keeping politics out of national parks,’ she said.”

I like a smiley face replacing any Dear Leader.

Changing History Yet Again? Joe Hernandez reports, “National Portrait Gallery Removes Impeachment References Next to Trump Photo,” NPR, January 11, 2026. Hernandez describes, “The previous portrait label, which is still available on the Smithsonian’s website, mentioned Trump’s Supreme Court nominations, the development of the COVID-19 vaccine and that he was impeached twice ‘on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection’ before being acquitted by the Senate in both cases. Text accompanying the new portrait identifies Trump’s birth year, that he is the 45th and 47th president, the dates of his presidency, and information about the photographer and photograph.”

God forbid that events such as two impeachments should diminish the luster of any Dear Leader.

And, of course, this isn’t the first time that history has been reworked to reflect Trump’s altered sense of reality. See “Trump on History—160 Years Ago, 5 Years Ago, and January 7, 2026.” 

A Dear Leader’s Limits? A team of reporters, David E. Sanger, Tyler Pager, Katie Rogers, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs, had a two-hour-plus interview with the president: “Trump Lays Out a Vision of Power Restrained Only By ‘My Own Morality,’ ” The New York Times, January 8, 2026.

The reporters recount, “Asked in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times if there were any limits on his global powers, Mr. Trump said: ‘Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.’ ”

I’m reminded of the U.S. Presidential Oath of Office: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

My italics, and I don’t recall the Constitution delegating overwhelming powers to any Dear Leader. 

To be pitied or ridiculed? I am tempted to say “both.” ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2026