Donald Trump’s “big announcement” has at last shown us the man stripped down to his essence: a carnival barker trying to extract $99 from the pockets of the gullible, flashing phony images of himself on the internet. Was he not always just this? (“Donald Trump digital trading cards sell out, prices soar after much-mocked launch,” Dec. 17)

The spectacle would be sad had there ever been a time when he had shown some element of greatness as President, or indeed even before that. As it is, what we see is the evidence of grift unveiled. He will continue to make noise for a while. One can hope that the media do not attribute more to the spectacle than it is worth. His supporters should take a deep breath and a good look. This is the guy with whom you fell in love!

Herbert Ross

Lyme