TRUMP REALITY 2.0

AMONG THE MANY DISTURBING TRUMP ACTIONS is his fascistic sense of history. Like Mussolini and others of the ilk, he warps reality—current and past—to fit his own ambitions. Trump’s persistent and inane plastering of name, image, and iconography is typical of the breed. Nine decades later, for example, Milan, Italy, still bears Mussolini elements. 

Image from “The Mobster’s New Schemes,” SimanaitisSays, May 21, 2026. 

The initial and most egregious of Trump Reality is his continued denial—without a wit of evidence—of the 2020 presidential election results. Recently, Trump and his operatives have raised the level of this denial, tidbits of which follow here. 

The California Vote. NBC News offers an opportunity to “Read the Transcript: President Donald Trump Interviewed by NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press’ Moderator Kristen Welker,” June 7, 2026. You’re encouraged to read it in its entirety; I did. 

There’s also an excellent summary by Brajesh Upadhayay and Dulcie Lee in “Trump Abruptly Ends NBC Interview With Clash Over ‘Rigged Election’ Claim,” BBC, June 7, 2026: “During the interview,” Upadhayay and Lee recount, “which aired on Sunday’s ‘Meet The Press,’ the president claimed both the current primary elections in California and the 2020 presidential election were ‘rigged.’ ”

They cite, “Trump turned to the California primary elections, where votes are still being counted to determine which two candidates in a series of races— including governor of the state—will be on the ballot in November’s midterm elections.”

“He said the results had not been called after four days, adding: ‘They’re cheating on the election.’ ”

“’Do you have evidence to support that?’ Welker responded.”

“ ‘All I have to do is look, and I listen,’ the president replied.”

“ ‘But that’s not evidence,’ she interjected.”

Vote-Counting Methodology and Many Mail-In Ballots. The BBC reporters note, “Full results have not yet been called in the state where delays are common due to a particularly meticulous vote-counting process and broad use of mail-in ballots. Mail-in voting has long irked the president.”

“ ‘They’re crooked,’ he continued, ‘just like you’re crooked.’”

How very statesmanslike. 

“Welker said: ‘To be fair, I’m not crooked. But let’s continue.’”

Trump then told Welker ‘you’re either crooked or you’re stupid’, and after a further exchange said: ‘Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you darling, have a good time.’”

Welker attempted to continue the interview, but Trump interrupted: ‘I’ve sat in the rain with you for an hour, on and off in the rain, and I’ve given you enough time.’ ”

‘You ought to straighten out your press, because you know what? A country can never be great with a dishonest press.’”

I wonder, does this apply to Fox News?

DoJ, the Arbiter of History? Tom Dreisbach recounts, “Trump DoJ Mass-Deletes Info on Jan. 6 Riot Cases, Including Violent Assaults on Cops,” NPR, May 26, 2026:  “The removals mark the latest phase of President Trump’s effort to rewrite the history of the violent riot.”

“A normal tourist visit”?? Image by AP/Jose Luis Magana via hmtsu.edu.

Dreisbach continues, “Justice Department news releases that detailed guilty pleas, jury verdicts and prison sentences abruptly disappeared from government websites last week. On social media, the Justice Department defended the move, saying, ‘We are proud to reverse the DOJ’s weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ’s website of partisan propaganda.’ ”

Biden’s weaponization?? What about Trump’s retribution directed against James Comey, Letitia James, Jack Smith, Jerome Powell, Mark Kelly  et al. and who knows how many others?

Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Sen. Mark Kelly, among others, “should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL” claimed Trump on Truth Social. Image by Jose Luis Magana/AP. 

For more details, note NPR maintains the most complete database and visual archive of the Jan. 6 prosecutions. 

The rest of us aren’t buying Trump Reality 2.0 either. ds

Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2026