From his signature corporate tax cuts, which eliminated deductions for state and local income taxes that disproportionately hit blue states, to his legal battles with attorneys general in coastal states like New York and California, President Trump has spent much of his first term sticking it to his political enemies. It’s as close to a consistent ideology as anything he’s ever displayed.
In Puerto Rico, where elected officials publicly criticized his handling of Hurricane Maria, Trump sought to stop federal aid to the recovering island. In Ukraine — a nation he was half-convinced had conspired against him — the president attempted to extract an investigation of Joe Biden in exchange for congressionally-mandated aid. In the midst of this coronavirus pandemic, he appears to prioritize petty fights with Democratic leaders of the blue states that have been hit hardest so far. Continue reading.