Donald Trump, swamp thing

Drain the swamp? Trump lives in the swamp.

The swamp drains you.
(Image credit: Illustration | Image courtesy iStock)

As the Republican push to replace ObamaCare was falling apart last month, Trump booster Matt Drudge offered a Zen koan of a tweet: "The swamp drains you."

Drudge's phraseology, of course, was a reverse nod to the Trump campaign's promise to "drain the swamp" of Washington, D.C. — the "swamp" being a capital city full of corrupt lobbyists and politicians demanding "pay-to-play" access fees and a revolving-door scheme in which said politicians turn into said lobbyists.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Scott Galupo

Scott Galupo is a freelance writer living in Virginia. In addition to The Week, he blogs for U.S. News and reviews live music for The Washington Post. He was formerly a senior contributor to the American Conservative and staff writer for The Washington Times. He was also an aide to Rep. John Boehner. He lives with his wife and two children and writes about politics to support his guitar habit.