> I guess I interpret it as "America has gone into political decline." I'm a bit surprised to hear a Trump appointee say that

What do you think the premise of the motto Make America Great Again is? The difference between Trumpists and others who see a decline is that the former see the 2016 and 2024 elections as reverses in the decline, whereas other see them as sources or exacerbations.

Anyone who sees Trump as either an aberration or a savior is deeply deluded on the state of America.

In my opinion, the US world order’s decay was unmasked in 2008, and it has been accelerating since. The two economic realities between the poor rural America and the rich coastal cities (and even within them there is so much clear wealth disparity) have only gotten worse, and the political and bureaucratic system isn’t really capable of skillfully dealing with it.

Trump actually speaks to the realities that few politicians will (Bernie Sanders did too in 2016, hence his appeal), though his prescribed solutions are likely just accelerating the country’s demise.

Agreed. The 2008 crisis and the Snowden revelations were the long turning point

Trump is basically a golden populist then. All these parties will gladly point as t issues, because it give them the spotlight.

Well said

I disagree. 1% issue aside - There are things Trump has done that have no American precedent, such as Jan 6th, openly insisting he'll run for a 3rd term, and too many others to list here. In that sense he is absolutely an aberration.

I don't see why you'd say "deeply deluded" is the only option, instead of simply "not that knowledgeable" being one.

As a European, the election (and then re-election) of Trump was an aberration, but that's because I didn't know about/follow US's internal problems.

It is not primary about economy or powerty. That one is an excuse, a rationalization.

"Robert Barron, bishop of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester in Minnesota, was appointed less than a week ago by President Trump to the new White House Commission on Religious Liberty."

Honestly it looks like we've got a HNer quoting a journalist quoting a bishop quoting a cardinal.

The cardinal who said 'until America goes into political decline, there won't be an American pope' died in 2015 (i.e. before Trump's first term)

The bishop who quoted them does hold the post you mention - but they didn't originate the quote, they just quoted it.

Thanks for this. The quote-of-a-quote in the original article was confusing, made worse by the fact that it was said by Robert who is not the new Pope, formerly known as Robert.

I wouldn’t assume that just because Trump appoints someone to a commission, they and Trump see eye-to-eye about whatever.

Bishop Barron is pretty middle-of-the-road as far as US Catholic bishops go - he’s not much of a progressive, but nor is he a traditionalist or hardline conservative. On most issues on which Pope Francis and President Trump disagreed, Barron’s views and instincts are closer to the late Pope (who made him a bishop and then gave him a diocese) than to Trump’s

It symbolizes the unity of the Church (and the College of Cardinals specifically) with and supporting the new Pope; its not exactly opaque.

Is that unusual?

No, its a normal part of the process mentioned briefly (but not explained, perhaps because the symbolism is... really exactly what it seems on the surface) in most of the “what will happen with a new Pope” stories.