Loyalty Is A One-Way Street For Donald Trump

(These caricatures of Donald Trump and his Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, are by DonkeyHotey.)

There is no person outside of his immediate family that is more loyal to Donald Trump than Jeff Sessions.

Sessions was the first Washington politician to jump on the Trump bandwagon due the primary campaign, and he still supports all of Trump's policies -- even those viewed as ludicrous by most other people (like building a wall between the United States and Mexico). One would think that Trump appreciated someone as loyal to him as Sessions, since Trump has made it known that he values loyalty above all other attributes (more important than truth or ethics).

But that doesn't seem to be the case. Trump is currently engaged in a campaign to denigrate and drive from office the man he appointed as Attorney General. He has repeatedly tweeted his displeasure with Sessions, and even repeated that to the press in interviews and press conferences. Why would he do this to someone who has offered him nothing but complete loyalty?

He's doing it because Sessions did one honest thing -- he recused himself from participation in the investigation of whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. He had to do that, because Justice Department regulations would not permit him to head an investigation which could be investigating his own behavior (since Sessions had meetings with Russians during the campaign).

It doesn't matter to Trump that government regulations demanded that Sessions recuse himself. For the narcissist in the White House, true loyalty means a person should be willing to defy government rules and regulations to defend Trump, and maybe even to break the law by obstructing a government investigation into wrong-doing. And Trump is willing to throw anyone under the bus who can't meet that unreasonable standard -- even those who have demonstrated their loyalty to Trump and his policies.

One has to wonder about the chilling effect this has on those working in the White House, those other members of Trump's cabinet, and Republicans in Congress. Are they going to be the next one to be tossed under the bus by Trump for some perceived slight? Is their loyalty going to be questioned in spite of their best efforts?

Obviously, for Donald Trump, loyalty is a one-way street. He demands it of others, but feels no obligation to return that loyalty. Frankly, I am shocked that someone as old a Trump doesn't realize that loyalty (like respect) is a two-way street -- it cannot be demanded unless it is also offered.

NOTE -- I am not a fan of Attorney General Sessions. I believe his support of and implementation of Trump policies will seriously damage this country. But I hope he doesn't resign. I fear that a replacement chosen by Trump would not just support those same odious policies, but would also be willing to ignore government rules and regulations and would be willing to obstruct justice on Trump's behalf.