That said, it is always telling what particular outbursts from the president move White House staffers and congressional Republicans to raise their anonymous “alarm” with the press. The prospect of an increasingly wobbly economy and supposedly reduced re-election odds is apparently enough to do this. The president’s anti-Semitism and his casual disregard for the dignity and self-determination of the people of Greenland don’t rise to that level. The prophet of the Trump administration remains the president’s former economic adviser Gary Cohn, who considered leaving his post after Charlottesville but stuck it out and resigned only when Mr. Trump had done something truly unforgivable — levy tariffs. The economy, it seems, is a dealbreaker; hatred and racism aren’t.

The International Emergency Economic Powers Act. According to Mr. Trump, it allows him to push American companies out of China — “case closed.” Not so fast — but it is true that IEEPA, as it’s known, gives the president a wide breadth of authority. Lawfare, where I work, has an explainer of the statute for those who are unfamiliar.

The Amazon rain forest is burning. The “lungs of the planet” remain on fire in a growing environmental catastrophe. In The Washington Post, Ishaan Tharoor examines the link between far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s nationalist policies and the conflagration and notes how nationalist leaders worldwide — including President Trump — are both ignoring and worsening the costs of climate change.

This article is part of David Leonhardt’s newsletter. David is on a break until Labor Day. While he’s away, two outside writers are taking his place. This week’s author is Quinta Jurecic (@qjurecic), the managing editor of Lawfare. You can sign up here to receive David’s newsletter each weekday.

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