Donald Trump is sorry. He’s super duper, for realsies sorry. He’s so sorry, that he actually said this in a speech last night.

“Sometimes, in the heat of the debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that, and I regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain.”

This morning, he showed how sorry he was by sending his campaign manager around to promise he’s totally for real sorry. Sort of like an apology tour, I suppose.

In my life, I have often dealt with people that are, for lack of a better word, abusive. And before my trolls attack, no, not in my family. But I assure you I’ve encountered such people and I’ve seen how they operate and I’ve experienced exactly what Trump is doing right now.

This quote from campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, as proxy for Trump, is actually the perfect example of how abusers operate.

“I hope that everybody who has criticized him at some point, for being insensitive or for mocking someone, at least shows some recognition and some forgiveness.”

This is very typical. He’s apologized. He’s not asked for forgiveness, explained how he was wrong, or even specified what he’s wrong about. But he’s generally apologized. And therefore, without any other information, the onus is on us to forgive. Because that’s the Christian thing to do. And if we don’t… well, that’s not very Christian now is it?

I’ve witnessed this behavior from serial abusers more times than I can count. Once they’ve said sorry, if forgiveness is not immediately given, the abuser will actually begin to blame the abused for holding a grudge. “I SAID SORRY, WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?”

I expect that next will be surrogates constantly referencing the apology in regards to anything that preceded that speech.

Trump hasn’t personally attacked or offended me, so there’s nothing for me to forgive. If he believes he’s wronged people, he should probably specify who and show that he recognizes how and what he said that was harmful to others.

My suspicion is that won’t happen.

So perhaps everyone should calm down about the enormity of this. After a year of offensive campaigning, I think one generic “sorry dude” is probably not enough for the masses to forget how unequipped he is to be America’s top dignitary.

I’m sure all of his submissive and abused surrogates will be touting how magnanimous Trump is for making a generic and unspecified apology for all the abuse while promising he’s changed, but actions speak louder than words. I doubt we will have any shortage of actions from Trump in the next 80 days with which to judge the sincerity of his apology.