WHY TRUMP ISN'T A GOOD LEADER

Two kids get into an argument at recess. Something about hogging a kickball. One kid says to the other, “You’re not my friend anymore!” and tears the ball from the other kid’s hands. He runs away laughing, and the other kid meanders to the swings, sits on one, and sways back and forth dejectedly.

The manager of an auto body shop is confronted by an angry customer. Fed up, the manager takes a wrench from the shop and smashes in the customer’s car windows. 

A student fails to complete a teacher’s assignment. The teacher gets on Facebook and posts about how “terrible” the kid is. The teacher spouts insults at the student and their parents.

These are hotheaded folks who clearly can’t contain their tempers when faced with some resistance. We can expect this sort of behavior out of the children at recess, but the manager and the teacher are meant to be responsible.

Should we expect and tolerate that same behavior from the leader of a country?

An Iron Grip and a Gold Apartment

As the foremost officer of the United States, the president ought to exemplify the American principles of liberty and justice. As his title would suggest, the president should preside over the operations of the federal government, not execute them singlehandedly. A hard and fast ruler can be helpful during wartime, but not at a time such as ours when the powers of the world have begun aligning themselves with the interests of humanity. Now, with a lion at the helm, the aggression of the past is being regurgitated and the warship has started lurching forward. And toward what?

What appeal does this crass old man have in the face of young hope? He almost resembles Churchill in his dealings with current affairs. But he isn’t fighting Nazis, is he? The issues of our time don’t require his violent attitude. They don’t require haste or aggression. Regardless of your feelings about the issues Trump is dealing with in his usual cantankerous way, not one of them requires bullets, emergency declarations, or vitriolic propaganda. Nor do they require a heavy-  handed hijacking of Washington. 

The current president of the United States, Donald Trump; graphic by Lili Nandell

by lili nandell

In the ancient Roman Republic, dictators were recommended by the Senate and temporarily appointed by the Consuls to lead the Republic during extraordinary emergencies. The voice of one man with strong military experience was seen as more favorable in these situations, as one person could make decisions and execute the government more efficiently than the hundreds of squabbling people in the Senate. In 44 BCE, after a civil war that ended the First Triumvirate, an intimidated Senate declared Julius Caesar dictator perpetuo, or “dictator for life.” (This title would soon prove to carry little weight, however, when conspiring Senators assassinated him one month later.) 

This story and many others serve as reminders that even the most robust of political systems can be manipulated to fit the ambitions of one person or group. 

Trump has largely commandeered the government and placed its great power squarely under his control. Trump has aggressively used the National Guard and ICE. Under him, the Environmental Protection Agency has revoked findings that greenhouse gases endanger public health. He has made clear his intentions to snuff out the Department of Education. He has shaken anti-DEI deals out of huge universities. His grip on Washington is entirely unnecessary. 

Bad Behavior

In February, an AI-generated video was reposted on President Trump’s Truth Social account depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes in a jungle. White house staff claimed the video was reposted erroneously by a staffer and was intended to depict Trump as “king of the jungle” and democrats as characters from The Lion King. The Lion King does not have any characters that are apes. According to The Washington Post, Trump “declined to apologize.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said to the media as a whole, “Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.” 

 President Trump’s opinion of the Obamas does not matter today to the American public. His refusal to apologize does not vindicate his actions. The offensive imagery, whether intended or not, is his responsibility as the leader of our country and the possessor of his social media account. 

The First Amendment does not protect you from the interpersonal consequences of your speech and behavior. The government’s responsibility to remain apathetic toward controversial issues does not apply to your fellow citizens. They maintain the right to criticize you.

The beauty of our political system is that all this applies to the president, too.

Donald Trump selected for his work arguably the most famous public office in the world. In even the most minute leadership roles, leaders are expected to accept responsibility not only for their individual actions but also for the actions of the body they lead. Trump has failed to accept responsibility for his actions not only in this case but in countless others. He has made it clear that he has sacrificed integrity for the sake of his own gain. The value of integrity and honesty in a leader is born of the need for transparency. We are entitled to know the truth of what our government is doing with public money and public support.

One of the most powerful ways a person can lead is by example. Until fairly recently, the presidency was a position any parent would gladly present as a role model for their children. It was never perfect and never will be, but its reputation has been tarnished by the behavior of its recent occupants, particularly Trump. In him we have a grumpy old man who spits insults at reporters and misinformation at constituents. In him we have a man with no experience pertinent to politics except wealth.

“Quiet, piggy,” were the president’s words to a female journalist when she asked him a question aboard Air Force One.

Today, we don’t need Trump’s aggression or callousness. We need deliberate, steady leadership.