LinkedIn on Thursday, October 30, 2025

President Trump – whose intellect is handicapped by malignant narcissism – lacks the intelligence to understand many of the basic, most critical principles and behavior of our economy, political system, science and technology, culture and international relationships.  Making matters worse, he surrounds himself with advisors who are unable or unwilling to explain the truth that he needs to know and who support his belief that he is the smartest person in the room which he is not.

He doesn’t, for example, understand how tariffs work.

His lack of empathy which allows him, for example, to withhold SNAP funds without concern for the millions who will struggle to feed their children and selves is a psychological thing.  He doesn’t mind hurting people and sometimes revels in being mean, but his lack of intelligence has nothing to do with it.

Unfortunately, something else has come up relative to which he is dangerously…  I almost said “stupid,” but that would Trumpian disrespectful.  Let’s just say “dangerously confused.”

For some years now, the Russians have been working on the development of nuclear powered engines for planes and drones.  The advantage of nuclear power to propel weapons of war, as we have long known from our experience with nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, increases their range of operation.  Making nuclear engines – “engines,” not “bombs” – small enough to power drones has proven difficult.  To their credit, Russian scientists and engineers persevered and have apparently successfully tested nuclear powered drones that are superior to their counterparts powered by jet or rocket engines.

Our problem is that President Trump may think that the Russians have been testing nuclear bombs, not engines.  As a result, he is considering ordering our military to resume testing our nuclear bombs – existing international agreements, national security and other practical considerations be damned.

Resuming nuclear explosives testing is not a potentially existential mistake we can allow him to make.  Will Republicans in Congress please snap out of it and come to their senses?

-Les