You’ve Been Trumped Word on the Week 1st June 2024.
This was the name of a film documentary made in 2011 to record the struggles between locals and Donald Trump who wanted to build a golf course in the sand dunes at Balmedie, Aberdeenshire. The area was one of scientific interest and not all the locals were in favour of the venture.
In particular Michael Forbes, a local farmer, refused to sell his land despite various efforts of intimidation by Trump. The New York Times critic said the film depicted Trump as an insensitive lying bully who tried to pressurise the golf course neighbours to sell their properties to him. Trump failed.
A sequel called “You’ve Been Trumped Too” was launched in October 2016 highlighting the problems experienced by the neighbours of the Trump International Golf Links. Trump’s lawyers threatened legal action against anyone who screened the film. The effort to block its release failed.
Trump’s mother, Mary Ann McLeod came from Tong a village 4 miles North of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. At the age of 18 she emigrated in 1930 to New York where she married Fred Trump, a property dealer, in 1936. Donald was the eldest of five children. Before she died in August 2000 she did not reckon that Donald would make a good President – wise woman!
The events of this week where Trump was found to be guilty by a 12-person jury on all 34 counts in a criminal trial. This is the first of four cases pending. The same stream of vitriol that he used against Michael Forbes was unleashed in a 30-minute Press briefing. The legal gag, silencing him during the trial, had been lifted and the pent-up fury released!
As a modern Goliath he has won the admiration of a certain class of American and frightened the Republican Party so that none will stand against him (1 Samuel 17 verse 24). He reported that $39 million (€36 million) had flooded into his campaign in the 10 hours since the jury’s verdict was read out. It emerged that searches for Trump on Google jumped by 3,200 per cent overnight!
Trump’s ability to turn defeat into victory is remarkable. It is predicated upon his view of the truth! His followers have shown a liking for it which has encouraged him. His view of reality is described by Isaiah in chapter 5 verses 20/21.
Believers in the Bible as the Word of God have seen a fanatical bully in Saul of Tarsus transformed into Paul, one of the leading Apostles of Jesus Christ (Acts 9 verses 3 to 6). Trump’s self-centeredness requires to be changed to Christ-centeredness. God can do it. It happened to me.