It has been said that those who supported candidate Donald Trump took him seriously but not literally. Perhaps this mindset will help assuage the growing concerns of the faithful as President Trump breaks literally every campaign promise he ever made.
Yesterday, Trump added to the ever growing list of broken promises and policy shifts.
Candidate Trump derides intelligence reports of Russian interference in our elections as a “ruse.” President Trump sends his chief diplomat to Russia to personally chastise Putin for interfering in our elections.
Candidate Trump promises to keep the United States from becoming embroiled in foreign conflicts. He vows to end America’s long standing position as the world’s policeman. President Trump fires 59 Tomahawk missiles into Syria in response to the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons against its own people.
Candidate Trump doubles down on his isolationist rhetoric as respects North Korea. President Trump urges China to exert its influence in persuading North Korea to shut down its nuclear arms production. Threatens that if China will not stop North Korea, he will. Trump sends naval battle group steaming toward North Korean waters.
Candidate Trump derides NATO as obsolete. He threatens to pull the US out of the alliance. President Trump says NATO is not obsolete and he offers NATO our strong support.
Candidate Trump states China is killing us on trade. He promises to rip up our existing trade deals with China. Proclaims that he would negotiate a new, tougher trade deal with the economic powerhouse, including a 35%-40% tariff on all Chinese products entering the country. President Trump learns we have no trade deal with China. He says he will work to create a fair trade agreement without imposing tariffs on Chinese products.
Candidate Trump says that his first day in office he will officially label China a currency manipulator. President Trump says he will not label China a currency manipulator.
Candidate Trump disparages Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen for her monetary policies. Vows to get rid of her if elected. President Trump praises Janet Yellen and indicates he may keep her on.
Candidate Trump promises to get rid of the Export-Import Bank. President Trump praises the Export-Import Bank; calling it a valuable component of our economy.
Candidate Trump rides to power on a wave of isolationist nationalism that promises to “Make America Great Again.” Like minded advisors Steve Bannon, Mike Flynn and Steve Miller hold prominent places in the Trump campaign. President Trump watches from the Oval as this trio oversees the embarrassing demise of the Muslim ban, the health care reform bill and the Mexican funding of the border wall. Flynn is fired, Miller fades into the woodwork. Bannon is removed from the NSC and referred to by the president as “just some guy who works for me.”
These are just the policy shifts and broken promises that have occurred in the last 48 hours.
There are those that see this shift as a sign that the long awaited pivot to a more “presidential” Trump is finally upon us.
I disagree.
I have written many times before that Donald Trump does not have a political ideology. He is only focused on two things: winning and looking like a strong leader. He hates losing. He sees losing as a form of weakness. So he will take whatever ideological side of a particular argument allows him to come out on the winning side.
Trump campaigned as a nationalist and an isolationist. He was the outsider who was going to shake up Washington, drain the swamp and “Make America Great Again!”
Trump’s “America First” rhetoric and bombastic style drew huge crowds and strong poll numbers.
One thing we know about Trump is that he craves attention and accolades. He got all that and more on the campaign. He assumed that if bombast and brick throwing worked on the campaign it would work in the White House.
But once Trump reached the Oval Office he discovered that the voters wanted a steady hand and a more reasoned approach. Trump’s approval ratings plummeted to the lowest of any president in modern history. A series of gaffs and unforced errors brought deep embarrassment to this very proud and narcissistic president. Worst of all…he was losing.
So trump shifted gears. Out with Bannon, Flynn and Miller. In with more the more moderate Jared, Ivanka, Priebus and Cohen. Necessity brought foreign affairs to the forefront and Trump found himself spending more and more time with Mattis, Kelly and McMaster…all serious, seasoned professionals. Trump’s tone and tenor followed suit…to the extent he is capable.
This was not an ideological change. This was simply a shift from policies that were costing him popularity to positions that he believed would gain him the positive support he craves.
Conservative versus liberal…none of that matters to this Republican President who 20 months ago was a Democrat.
Trump supporters can take some solace in the fact that nothing we are witnessing from this president today is guaranteed to be the same tomorrow. For when it comes to politics and policy Trump is like a reed blowing in the wind.
Promises mean nothing. Winning is all that matters.
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