Trump unbound

Nearly every day, President Trump spouts off on random topics: NFL kneeldowns, the stock market surge or his feud with media networks not named Fox. The constant bluster nature can make it forgettable, if not forgivable, except it’s neither. A president’s words have weight.

No better example is his Pocahontas comment that overwhelmed a ceremony to honor Navajo Code Talkers who helped win World War II. He paid tribute to the aging group and then veered into a gratuitous aside ridiculing Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat who once claimed American Indian heritage on a resume.

He’s used the label before, drawing angry responses from tribal leaders who consider it derogatory and racist. Now he’s doing it again, blind to the hurt he causes in jousting with a liberal senator he doesn’t like.

His self-justifying world is filled with mirrors that reflect only him. It’s natural to grow tired of his narcissism, but it’s impossible when Trump showcases himself so often. He’s cheapening his office and the nation.

His deluded self-absorption hit another low point this week via a news report indicating he didn’t believe an infamous “Access Hollywood” video clip showing him bragging about groping women was authentic. But his original words are real, and he’s already acknowledged it and tried to apologize.

The too-easy defense of such conduct is that the president enjoys provoking and later backpedals to reality. That’s an answer that argues his words have no meaning. The damage he causes can’t be repaired amid the chaos he creates.

It’s foolish to call on the president to change. When John Kelly was named chief of staff, the expectation was he’d tone down Trump’s rampaging ways. He hasn’t.

The public shouldn’t tune out when Trump speaks. He must be held accountable for his insults and falsehoods.

A reckless president can’t be excused or indulged.