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| (Geddry Newsletter) |
Of the thousands of words written on or about Memorial Day 2025, perhaps no one summed up the meaning of the holiday in Donald Trump's America better than Mary Geddry, publisher of the Oregon's Bay Area (OBA) Facebook page. Apparently written from Coos County, OR, the page is one of the most thoughtful and well-written meditations I've seen on postmodern life, as many Americans fight off fear and despair while grieving for a once-great nation in decline.
As with any social-media page (including mine!) that addresses Trump's second term in the White House, OBA's subject matter can be dark, but Geddry possesses a true "writer's touch," producing commentary that is both engaging and enlightening. She even injects humor into the fray, often in posts where you might least expect it, but where it is most appreciated. Anyone who can make you think -- and laugh -- as we are held hostage by Trump's endless stream of whims and grievances, needs to be read. I highly recommend her voice as one that deserves your attention -- not just on holidays, but every day. In addition to her Facebook page, Geddry publishes a newsletter at Substack.
What is Geddry's take on Memorial Day 2025? Under the headline "Memorial Day in Trump’s America: Grief, Grift, and Golf; As the nation mourns its fallen, Trump wages war on decency, from vile holiday posts and empty promises to veterans to a foreign policy built on delay and delusion," she writes:
Good morning! On this Memorial Day, while millions of Americans honor the fallen with solemn remembrance, President Donald Trump is doing what he does best: making it about himself.
Trump is scheduled to lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery before delivering prepared remarks at the Memorial Amphitheater, a ceremony traditionally meant to unify a grieving nation. Later, he’ll reportedly spend the afternoon golfing at his Virginia club, which, for Trump, counts as tribute if you squint hard enough. After all, isn’t freedom just the right to overcharge taxpayers for cart rentals?
But if you thought the day might be spared from partisan bile, think again. Before the wreath hit the ground, Trump took to Truth Social to post a holiday greeting that was so petty that it almost deserves its own headstone. In his Memorial Day missive, the sitting president referred to Joe Biden as a “decrepit corpse” and called for the arrest of his political opponents, nothing for Gold Star families. No words for veterans lost to suicide, homelessness, or addiction. Just another barely literate outburst from a man whose relationship with dignity has always been… strained.
While Trump's motorcade rolls through Arlington’s gates, his rhetoric continues to bulldoze what’s left of presidential decorum. At a time when the country is meant to reflect on sacrifice and unity, Trump delivers derision and division. Some might call it tone-deaf. Others might call it Monday.
And the irony? Today also marks his administration's big promise to house thousands of homeless veterans, just not in any way that makes sense, adds up, or includes basic details.
On May 9, Trump signed an executive order declaring that the West Los Angeles VA campus, nearly 400 acres of prime federal land long squandered on private school athletic fields and sweetheart leases, will now become the “National Center for Warrior Independence.” The goal? To house 6,000 homeless veterans by 2028. Sounds noble, right? Until you look at the fine print, or the lack thereof.
The plan blindsided local VA officials, according to several sources, and it’s not clear if the administration intends to house vets from across the nation there, or just inflate the number for dramatic effect. Advocates in Los Angeles, long frustrated by inaction, cautiously welcomed the announcement, even as they pointed out that the administration is still pursuing a federal court appeal to reduce the number of temporary housing units currently mandated for the campus. So, to recap: the White House is promising double the housing while still legally fighting to deliver less than half. It’s a campaign slogan with delusions of grandeur.
Congressman Brad Sherman, who represents the district, noted that the order's funding mechanism is listed as “money that would otherwise be spent on housing or other services for illegal aliens,” which is not a budget so much as a Fox News chyron. Sherman, a Democrat, said it “reads more like a campaign press release than an actual plan.” Still, if Trump manages to house even a fraction of those 6,000 vets, I’ll gladly eat crow, provided there’s not a nondisclosure agreement attached.
The above is an example of Geddry's ability not only to produce sharp analysis, but also to provide the latest on breaking stories. White House plans to launch its "National Center for Warrior Independence," with the goal of housing 6,000 homeless veterans by 2028, had escaped my attention. It sounds oddly utopian for an idea that springs from the Trump administration. But Geddry informs us that its funding mechanism is shaky, and the White House's heart doesn't seem to really be into the project. Perhaps its Trump's response to all the comments about "suckers and losers" he has directed toward veterans -- and suggested Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, be executed. Trump must have been counting on us forgetting all of that. Geddry then turns her attention to international affairs:
Meanwhile, abroad, Russia decided to mark Memorial Day by reminding the world just how little it respects human life. On the night of May 25–26, Moscow launched its largest drone and missile barrage since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, 364 aerial weapons in a single wave, including nine cruise missiles and over 350 Shahed-type UAVs. Ukraine’s air defense systems intercepted most of them, but debris rained down in multiple regions, and strikes were confirmed in at least five. It was a message with no military logic, only political venom.
President Zelensky called it what it was: “a demonstration of how much Putin despises the world.” Trump’s response? A vague, disinterested statement calling the attacks “needless,” while his own Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, condemned them as “shameful.” One gets the sense that Trump would be more animated if the drones had hit a golf course.
Back at home, German automakers have begun halting shipments to the U.S. in response to Trump’s tariff tantrums, even as he quietly kicked the can down the road on his planned 50% tariff hike on the European Union. In a rare act of apparent diplomacy, Trump delayed the tariff increase until July 9 after a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He called the extension a “privilege” and claimed negotiations would begin “rapidly,” which might mean as early as the 4th tee.
But even the punt couldn't stop the bleeding. American importers are still grappling with a 10% tariff set to double if no deal is reached, and EU manufacturers are already rerouting goods. The free market Trump claims to champion is looking more like a mud pit, one where he sells tickets and owns the concession stand.
A powerful Fault Lines investigation in partnership with Mother Jones and Al Jazeera exposes how private equity destroyed lives at Steward Health Care, once the largest for-profit hospital chain in the U.S. The story of Shinja, who died hours after childbirth when the hospital lacked a basic embolism coil it couldn't afford, and the heartbreaking death of newborn Lily after delays and misrepresentation about NICU access, highlight the carnage left in the wake of Cerberus Capital’s extractive business model. Incredibly, the firm tripled its investment, the CEO bought two private jets, and lawsuits were frozen by bankruptcy while families grieved. U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) called it “unconscionable.” He's right. This is necro-capitalism.
Elsewhere in dystopia, Trump, Elon Musk, and UFC’s Dana White appeared ringside together last November at UFC 309, just days after Trump won the election, in what can only be described as a petrostate-funded fever dream. Seated nearby: Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s $930 billion Public Investment Fund, which has entangled itself in everything from UFC events to Musk’s ventures. The optics weren’t subtle. A victorious Trump basked in adoration, flanked by billionaires with no interest in democracy, while one of the world’s most repressive regimes quite literally sat in the front row. The spectacle was less about sport and more about soft power projection, with Trump once again choosing the flattery of authoritarians over any pretense of national sovereignty.
Coupled with his recent Middle East trip, where Trump skipped democratic allies and instead courted Gulf autocrats, cut backroom energy deals, and praised “strong leadership” in the region, the message is unmistakable. He’s not just aligning with authoritarians; he’s taking notes. When Trump stands shoulder to shoulder with oil oligarchs and tech moguls while American institutions crumble at home, it’s clear where his loyalties lie, and it’s not with the Constitution.
As for the "grift" part of Geddry's headline, there never is a shortage of that when it comes to Trump. It looks like his first term will be remembered as positively spotless when compared to what is happening now. Geddry closes with a word of hope by turning to the worlds of music and sports:
And then, there’s the $148 million “meme coin” donor dinner. Or rather, the brief cameo by helicopter where Trump said a few words, ignored everyone who paid to be there, and vanished. The food was terrible, the security was thin, and the only thing guests took home was buyer’s remorse and the faint smell of jet fuel. Somehow, this man turned grifting into a presidential art form.
But don’t worry, he's got plans to eliminate the penny next year. The Treasury has announced a gradual wind-down of one-cent coin production, citing inefficiencies and cost. Rounding will begin soon, but fear not: Americans can still cling to their pennies just like we cling to norms, oversight, and functioning institutions by habit, not hope.
And finally, a couple rays of light to pierce the gloom: today would have been Miles Davis’s birthday, a reminder that brilliance can be born even in the most turbulent of times. His music bent reality, redefined genres, and still echoes with radical cool. Meanwhile, off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, a swimmer named Lewis Pugh is trying to change how we see sharks, not as movie monsters, but as vital guardians of ocean ecosystems. In an era of chaos and cruelty, both Davis and the sharks are reminders that harmony and balance are still possible, if we choose them.
So on this Memorial Day, we remember the fallen, honor the sacrifice, and watch, helpless and aghast, as the Commander-in-Chief makes a mockery of both.
If you would like to communicate with Mary Geddry, her email is cooscommons@gmail.com.
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