The Cult of Praise: When Personal Allegiance Trumps National Interest

So lets recap the most recent shitshow from our glorious leaders....  Friday's White House meeting with Zelenskyy should have been focused on war strategy (or peace strategy), international solidarity, and, maybe, global security. Instead, it somehow turned into another dumpster fire of an episode of Who Praised Trump Enough Today?

During the meeting, Vice President J.D. Vance made a point to call out Zelenskyy directly for not thanking Trump. Right there, in the middle of a high-level discussion about Ukraine's survival, Vance decided that what really mattered was making sure Trump got his credit. Not updates from the lines. Not strategy to actually pause the war. Not alliance-building. Gratitude. For Trump. This is the level we're at now.

And it didn’t stop there. After the meeting, Senator Lindsey Graham threw in his two cents, saying, "I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again." Why? Because Zelenskyy wasn’t sufficiently deferential. House Speaker Mike Johnson couldn't stay silent and jumped on the bandwagon, telling reporters that Zelenskyy needs to "come to his senses" and return to the table “in gratitude.”

What are we doing? Ukraine is fighting for its survival against a full-scale Russian invasion. They are not a MAGA satellite state. Zelenskyy isn't here to kiss the ring. And yet, that's exactly how this administration seems to be treating him—like he’s some unruly franchise owner who's forgotten to pay proper tribute to the boss.

And this mindset isn’t just playing out on the world stage. Back home, the same “how dare you question us” attitude is alive and well. Take Senator Roger Marshall, who recently complained during a town hall that he was dealing with the “rudest audience” of his career—simply because his own constituents had the nerve to press him on his support for recent GOP actions. Imagine that: voters asking their elected official to explain himself. Apparently, expecting basic accountability is now considered bad manners.

Instead of reflecting or owning any of it, what do they do? They default to victim mode. The backlash couldn’t possibly be real concern from regular people—it must be the work of Democrat-paid actors, right? It's always someone else’s fault. Never theirs. Honestly, for a group that loves to mock others as "snowflakes," they sure melt fast when faced with some public scrutiny.

This obsession with personal loyalty and public displays of praise? It’s giving big-time autocrat energy. You don’t have to dig too deep into the history books to see the parallels. Authoritarian leaders—past and present—thrive on this stuff. It’s not enough to show up and do your job. You’ve got to perform your devotion. Out loud. Constantly. Or else. And now we’re watching that same energy infect U.S. foreign policy at the worst possible time.

Because when global security meetings are derailed by petty loyalty tests, the consequences are real—and dangerous.

The National Security Fallout

Take Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's recent comments. Instead of reaffirming U.S. leadership on the world stage, she took aim at our European allies, claiming they’re no longer committed to "the cause and values of freedom." You’d think, after nearly two years of Ukraine fighting for its sovereignty with massive European support, maybe we’d skip the part where we throw our closest allies under the bus. But nope. This administration can’t help itself.

Then there’s Elon Musk jumping into the mix with his usual subtlety, posting on X about how world leaders are enjoying "fancy dinners" while men die in trenches. Look, I get the sentiment—war is brutal and the contrast is stark—but coming from a guy who’s been actively undermining parts of the war effort while cozying up to certain bad actors, it feels less like a sincere observation and more like piling on to the narrative that no one’s really committed to Ukraine anymore.

And if all that wasn’t enough, the administration also quietly announced the U.S. is suspending offensive cyber operations against Russia. So just to recap: We’re scolding allies, undermining Ukraine’s leadership, pulling back on digital defenses, and making sure no one forgets to compliment Trump. It’s almost like the playbook has shifted from “defend democracy” to “protect the brand.”

When the Party of Reagan Becomes the Party of Putin

Remember when the Republican Party used to brand itself as the tough-on-Russia, defender-of-democracy crowd? That feels like ancient history now. The old guard—those who believed in strong alliances, standing up to authoritarian regimes, and promoting freedom abroad—has been replaced by a loyalty cult. The pillars are gone, and all that's left is a stage where the main event is making sure Trump’s ego stays properly inflated.

And honestly, that should terrify all of us.

Because the more our leaders prioritize personal loyalty over national security, the weaker we become on the world stage. The more we alienate our allies, the more we embolden our adversaries. And the more we chip away at the values we claim to stand for, the harder it will be to reclaim them when this chapter is over.

The Bottom Line

We're watching the slow dismantling of the global alliances and democratic norms that defined the modern era. And it’s happening right in front of us—not with tanks rolling down Pennsylvania Avenue, but with petty grievances about who did or didn’t say “thank you” during a wartime meeting.

And if you dare to raise concerns? You're met with deflection, denial, and blame. Genuine questions from citizens are dismissed as partisan attacks. Public accountability is spun as harassment. Criticism is written off as some coordinated plot, rather than what it truly is—a population growing increasingly alarmed at the erosion of the principles this country was supposed to stand for.

This isn’t strength. It’s fragility masquerading as power. And the longer we allow our leaders to prioritize personal loyalty and political theater over national interest and global stability, the more we risk losing the very foundation that once made the United States a reliable force in the world.

History has shown us where this path leads. The question now is whether we’ve learned enough to stop it before it's too late.