To the editor:

The Trump administration indicates that it can’t force the El Salvadoran government to return a wrongly deported individual. The Trump administration is paying El Salvador to house deportees in their prison system. So, the “Art of the Deal” author can’t figure out how to orchestrate a return while paying to house deportees; what a great deal he has struck? Of course, if you are a right-wing influencer with millions of followers sitting in a Romanian jail awaiting trial for a litany of crimes, including sex trafficking, the administration can facilitate their release. I guess if your last name is Tate as opposed to Garcia, you get Trump’s help.

Then the wonderful, beautiful tariffs that Trump is playing wack-a-mole with and laughing about how some cronies made millions while he plays the game, may be influenced by a fictitious expert.

His economic advisor Peter Navarro couldn’t find a credible economist to back some arguments he made in books he wrote so he makes up an expert. “Ron Vara” espoused tariffs so now Navarro does, wait, what? Normally, wouldn’t that raise concerns with an employer, especially when that employer is the U.S. government? Well maybe not when the chief executive has been known to use a pseudonym himself — right John Barron? So, from now on, if you ever need to back up an argument and can’t find a credible source, just make it up. I guess that’s the alternative facts … If this wasn’t so pathetic it would be laughable. Signed by a retiree watching his accounts get hammered …

Chuck Damp

Ray Brook