He's at it again!

President Trump, continuing his policy of undercutting his own subordinates and pouring gasoline rather than water on fires, says that Secretary of State Tillerson is "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with North Korea. "We'll do what we have to do," Mr. Trump tweets.

Repeating the phrase he coined last week, the president referred to the leader of a nation with which we are trying to reach a peaceful resolution of a conflict with the potential to bring on nuclear war as "little Rocket Man."

Now, he may well be right. Not only that, but it's hard to resist the temptation to be amused at a figure as ridiculous as Kim Jong Un receiving the mockery he deserves, even at the hands of someone almost equally ridiculous. But Mr. Trump is no longer an eccentric but harmless buffoon in private life. He's the leader of the most powerful nation on earth, and that's not the kind of thing a person who is trying to avoid war is apt to say. But it's very much the kind of thing which might go directly from the brain of a man utterly without filters and through his mouth. It's a statement very much in character for the bull in a China shop who- God help us and God help the world!- is our president and the most powerful man on earth.

Meanwhile, after undergoing criticism for his failure to adequately address the plight of American citizens in Puerto Rico who are victims of Hurricane Maria, Mr. Trump responded.  But faced with the need for far more help, the President has laid the blame for the humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico on the Puerto Ricans themselves- or, as the governor of Puerto Rico tried to spin it in a display of diplomacy from which Mr. Trump could learn- on the mayor of San Juan.

Delivery of aid has been difficult and it is certainly reasonable to think that, as was the case with the Federal response to Hurricane Katrina during the administration of George W. Bush, local inefficiency and even incompetence might have played a role in the difficulties.  But despite various foul-ups on the part of state and local officials, Mr. Bush stopped short of picking a public fight with anguished and frustrated local officials over the issue.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll last week showed that by a two-to-one margin, Americans believe that Mr. Trump has done more to divide than to unite us. In fairness, the same charge can be and has been made about his Democratic predecessor. But unlike Barack Obama, who at least considered the likely effect before responding to events, Mr. Trump has over and over again displayed the narcissist's classic instinct to respond to any criticism, no matter how justified or nuanced, by not merely responding but attacking.  How much damage having a psychologically unsound president will end up doing remains anybody's guess.

Thank God there are only 1206 days left until the inauguration of his successor.