The Moderating Generals Are Getting Marginalized

Remember how "the generals" — former National Security Advisor Ret. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, current National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, Chief of Staff Ret. Gen. John Kelly, and Defense Secretary Ret. Gen. James Mattis — were supposed to serve as moderating influences on Donald Trump, because somehow militarizing the White House was going to keep a law-and-order authoritarian in check?

Well, that hasn't happened. For a number of reasons, including the fact that at least one of those generals, Michael Flynn, is a possible traitor to the nation, but chiefly because Trump is a megalomaniacal nightmare who cannot be controlled.

Rumors have been circulating for months that he's on the outs with Kelly and Mattis, and now he's reportedly over McMaster, too:

The Pentagon is exploring options that would give [Donald] Trump the ability to move National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster out of his role in the White House and back to the military, according to a new report from CNN.

According to six defense and Trump administration officials who spoke with CNN, the Pentagon is quietly searching for a four-star military position in the Army or the Defense Department that would function as a promotion for McMaster after months of mounting tension between the President and his national security adviser.

Trump has reportedly been privately irritated with McMaster for months, mostly stemming from issues Trump has with McMaster's personality and style, according to a senior Republican source who spoke with CNN. Trump believes McMaster is condescending and unfriendly, the source told CNN.

The President's frustration with McMaster became public over the weekend when Trump criticized him on Twitter. Trump was likely responding to McMaster's remarks about the "incontrovertible" proof that Russia meddled in the 2016 election.

Let us be blunt: If the remaining generals try to force Trump to not be an authoritarian garbage monster or suggest that maybe be not be Vladimir Putin's puppet, Trump will just force them right out the door.

The only people capable of checking Trump are Congress, and his party refuses to do it.

Republican Party leadership was eagerly complicit in selling the public a bill of goods that "the generals" would handle the president. That was always manifest bullshit, but now it's abundantly clear what bullshit it is.

And still the GOP does nothing.

Trump will continue to marginalize "the generals," and the country's descent into authoritarianism under Trump's rule will continue apace.