The United States is on the precipice of unmitigated disaster. President Trump, acutely mindful that he is guilty of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” the criterion for impeachment as stated in the Constitution, has seemingly reached the proper conclusion that it is only a question of when, and not if, Robert Mueller confirms the President’s knowing and willful participation in a litany of illicit activities that compromised our national security. As Robert Mueller begins surrounding him, much like a shark encircles its prey, the President comprehends that he is running out of options and desperation is setting in. It is often stated that desperate people do desperate things. Even worse, a desperate person who is entirely devoid of moralities, while concomitantly serving as commander-in-chief of the most powerful military in the world, including its massive nuclear arsenal, is cause for a full-fledged, global panic. To borrow a line from Bob Dylan’s composition, “Like a Rolling Stone,” “When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing to lose.”

During Donald Trump’s scandal-infested presidency, he has proven to be impulsive, erratic, and somewhat delusional. As a result, the American people have been rendered numb to his nonstandard behavior. However, the events of Thursday warrant classification as unusual, even for this President, and such action must be regarded as the equivalent of a pulled fire alarm in a crowded building. Without exception, in such situations, there are always some individuals who dismiss this unmistakable, obnoxious, and resonating alarm as merely a drill, and such gross errors in judgment inevitably result in preventable tragedies. Please make no mistake about it; this is not a drill.

Adding to the President’s predicaments is his alleged propensity to engage in sexual relations with women other than his wife and then silencing them through signed non-disclosure agreements in exchange for significant quantities of money. It is also alleged that Trump and/or his representatives, including personal attorney Michael Cohen, have tried to silence “problematic” women via threats of litigation or physical violence. Among Trump’s accusers are former Playboy model Karen McDougal, and adult actress Stormy Daniels. Another problem that plagues the President is his inclination to force himself on women. In defamation litigation filed by former Apprentice contestant Summer Zervos, she alleges that Trump grabbed her and then proceeded to defame her by claiming allegation is a complete fabrication.

Two events on Thursday provide cause for great apprehension, as they are indicative of the prodigious lengths to which Trump is willing to go to divert attention from his wrongdoings. If Thursday is a harbinger of future events, then this country is in a state of emergency. On Thursday, the President confirmed by his actions that he is willing to sacrifice the economic health of this country to divert attention from his transgressions as he laid the foundation for a trade war with China, a war that would cripple our economy while having minimal effects on China’s economy. The carnage from such a disaster has already commenced as the Dow plummeted over 700 points on Thursday. Furthermore, the hiring of John Bolton as National Security Adviser indicates that Trump may be willing to go as far as initiating a military conflict as a diversion, as Bolton is a War Hawk who has repeatedly articulated his intense desire for military action against both North Korea and Iran.

The departure of John Dowd and the addition of Joe DiGenova to Trump’s stable of defense lawyers in the Russia probe indicates a change in the President’s legal strategy. From all accounts, Trump’s lawyers are average legal practitioners, at best; however, they frequently appear on Fox and are better suited to lobby the public than providing legal representation. They excel at the dissemination of enormous quantities of “fake news” and proposing preposterous conspiracy theories that one would expect to find in The National Enquirer. It is probable that Trump’s strategy has changed, as he has recognized that his guilt is undeniable and the evidence against him is so overwhelming that even Clarence Darrow would be incapable of exonerating him in a court of law. Recognizing that a legal defense would be futile, Trump’s hiring of mediocre lawyers that are recognizable TV personalities with whom the American public is familiar, it appears that the President’s new strategy is to concede the legal battle and instead emerge victorious in the battle of public opinion. Only time will indicate the effectiveness of such an approach.