ENOUGH!
Bill's Kristol Clear Why Trumpism is Vandalism
Second only to RFK Jr.’s shift from Democratic royalty to Trump ignominy is Bill Kristol’s move this week—from a Palin-era Republican to what might be called a constitutional Democrat. Citing the unbearable “burden” of Trump, Kristol swtiched parties concuding, “I’m pro-freedom, pro-law and order, prto-limited governmenbtandpro-the Declaration and Constitution. And so today I’m a Democdrat.”
Is this an aberration or a possible snowball?
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There was no greater conservative poobah than Bill’s father, Irving Kristol, whom I debated in the mid-1970s at a forum sponsored by several corporations. He was, as always, a gentleman—though, frankly, somewhat overrated. Twenty-five years later I also recall sitting with Bill (alongside Rich Lowry, Michael Kinsley, and Richard Brookheiser) on the set of the final Firing Line taping in December 1999, hosted of course by the polymath and polysyllabic William F. Buckley Jr. for 33 years. (Buckley even shed a tear.) As ever, Bill Kristol was poised, learned, and reliably conservative.
But Trump’s kleptocracy and kakistocracy have scrambled our politics enough that some thoughtful conservatives—Kinzinger, Cheney, Tillis, Massie, and even Carlson (over Iran)—have effectively echoed Roberto Durán’s famous surrender in his 1980 rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard: “No mas, no mas.”
Kristol chose a week that perfectly exemplified Trump’s vulgar, corrupt, and hyperbolic presidency:
Trump berated journalists over their coverage of the war and the Xi summit, calling them “stupid” and “treasonous”—hardly new behavior but still unprecedented in frequency. Has any other president done this even once?
He was reportedly involved in insider trading 3,642 times in the first quarter of 2026, totaling between $220 million and $750 million—especially in NVIDIA stock ahead of policy decisions that boosted its value. In a functioning system, this would lead to criminal prosecution by the DOJ and SEC.
In a striking display of chutzpah (the classic definitionbeing a child who kills his parents and pleads for mercy as an orphan), Trump pursued a lawsuit against his own government that (for now) resulted in a $1.76 billion settlement—funneled through his former lawyer, now acting Attorney General—to benefit convicted insurrectionists. He even labeled this taxpayer-funded effort a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” borrowing language from Nelson Mandela’s post-apartheid reforms. (His friend Putin is no doubt impressed.)
Also this past week, he in effect transformed the Presidential Pardon power into a near separate branch of unaccountable government when he stated that he would be pardoning all top officials and aides who’ve worked with him…which obviously has nothing to do with the premise of mercy in this constitutional provision.
Adding to the irony, Trump—himself convicted of fraud—appointed Vice President J.D. Vance to lead an anti-fraud commission, initially targeting Somali communities in Minnesota.
None of this surprised Mary Trump, who has written that for him, “cheating was a way of life.” Nor did it shock New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, who once called Trump “the most loathsome person to ever occupy the White House.”
Leading Democrats reacted with outrage. Representative Jamie Raskin described Trump’s actions as “shakedowns and presidential plunder,” while Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed disbelief at the galling variety of his self-enriching schemes.
This will not be the last instance of misconduct and condemnation. Nor can anyone predict whether Trump’s character will ultimately contribute to his—or his party’s—downfall.
But perhaps this is a moment for Bill Kristol to go further—to help launch a movement called “ENOUGH!” composed of former Republican officials, elected leaders, military figures, jurists, and writers willing to publicly denounce what they see as a betrayal of core American values: law, truth, decency, and honesty.
No one can now know whether such an effort would slow or dismantle MAGA-ism or prevent future abuses of power. But neither can anyone prove it wouldn’t influence public opinion…or even sway close elections in 2026 and 2028. But in conjunction with plunging polls, No-Kings protests and judicial rejections, “Enough!” Republicans could help trigger an unstoppable backlash.
In my view, everyone—especially influential voices like Bill Kristol—should use their platform to ensure that would-be authoritarians never again come close to presidential or national power.
This is Mark Green from The Inflection Zone.