Many Americans are beginning to accept the fact that Donald Trump has abilities and character traits that will make him a good president. Some don’t think so and believe that the next few years will be a great challenge for the country. This essay will consider issues that give some of us pause about Trump.
The presidency is not a family affair. America voted for Trump, not his immediate family. Some have expressed anxiety about their involvement in the transition. Trump’s immediate job job is to pick great people to advise him and prepare him to make important decisions that will affect the world. It’s disconcerting that he has depended on his children to such a great degree.
The Trump Organization is going to cause great conflicts for the new president if they are not dealt with immediately. It’s important that Trump put this all behind him and get on with developing relationships with Congress and other world leaders. He made promises to voters and any diversions like day-to-day matters at his company will only serve to decrease his effectiveness. Certainly the importance of matters of state “trump” his private business.
This month the Trump Organization will announce plans to transfer responsibility for his businesses to his family. The break between personal and governmental must be clean and without ambiguity. Sale of ownership is the only way to ensure such an outcome, but it is unlikely.
In the same vein, no matter how great Trump’s children and their spouses are, he must not entangle them in his work as president. They are too young and inexperienced for one thing. And their independence given Trump’s control over them is suspect.
The selection of certain types of advisors, as opposed to their specific stances on issues, has given the liberal press an opportunity to bash Trump. For instance he is seduced by military officers. It’s true that these men are great leaders and highly successful tacticians, but they think alike. Every confrontation is a war of sorts. Government has an important military and security component so engagement by military types is critical. But to be inundated in the highest ranks of government by two, three or even four of these personalities is excessive. The diversity of input may be diminished. Many believe the nomination of Mitt Romney for Secretary of State would mitigate the aforementioned problems to a certain extent.
It will be interesting to measure what extent the generals will influence Trump on matters of security. Will they be hawkish? For sure. Will Trump engage enemies when his generals tell him to do so? We shall see. Will the generals’ military tilt overwhelm diplomatic alternatives? We hope not.
Frankly most of Trump’s other selections and current candidates are pushy and right wing. Many Americans are not happy about this concentration because the flow of advice is going to be one-sided. Aggression, as opposed to statesmanship, is not the preferred course of action in most affairs of government. When the time comes to use force, be it military or economic, we must always win. Yet it’s wise to consider more peaceful options before going nuclear, so to speak.
Finally I believe Trump’s attitude and overconfidence still needs to be tempered. World leaders will find his perspectives to be parochial and potentially dangerous if they are communicated without careful consideration and tact.
Trump is learning and evolving. He needs to be more humble and move on from the election victory. The hard part of the job starts now. America must be protected at all costs and this may put our soldiers in harm’s way. We need a thoughtful, decisive and open-minded leader.