Bash enemies, bash friends harder
Trump’s style keeps focus on him, foes uncertain
When it comes to enemies, President Trump is ruthless. Ask ISIS. Trump unleashed America’s military from his predecessor’s restraints not just to defeat ISIS, but to crush it.
When it comes to friends, Trump can be brutally rude. Ask congressional Republicans. Before and during recent NATO meetings, Trump didn’t just push the other 28 members to increase defense spending. He demanded it.
Trump let them wonder if perhaps he’d lead NATO’s primary founding country out of the 69-year-old alliance that was the world’s vital bulwark against a rising Russia.
Its president — Vladimir “Talk About Ruthless” Putin — gives Trump a chance to display his beloved contrary streak. We can work together, Trump maintains, as has every U.S. president for a quartercentury, to no avail.
When just enough angry Americans in just the right places elected the New York billionaire almost 21 months ago, they wanted the outsider to kick over the established protocols of the self-serving established powers that prolong the status quo — in Washington.
Now, Trump is doing the same to protocols and establishments abroad especially, it seems, in his dealings with friends in NATO and Great Britain, who got no say in his elevation to the world’s most powerful office that profoundly affects their lives, too.
Remember the presidential leadership style of George H.W. Bush in 1990-91? He spent months talking successfully with, not at, the leadership of 38 nations about joining the first Persian Gulf War coalition to oust Iraq from Kuwait. Twenty-nine of them ultimately also sent troops. That’s an amazing leadership feat.
Every president since has sought, requested, urged NATO members to boost defense spending to the goal of 2 percent of gross domestic product and ease the U.S. burden. This year, only eight will, though others are closing the gap.
So, in Trump’s eyes, what harm can some not-so-gentle pushing do, beyond bruised feelings, which this president doesn’t mind giving but doesn’t like getting?
Then, Trump visited Great Britain, America’s original foe and longest free friend.
As Trump landed, out came an interview in which the American president criticized the political leadership of his hostess, Prime Minister Theresa May.
Later, he said very cordial things about her and their countries’ historic relationship. But which, if either, did he mean?
Trump likes unpredictability. It keeps the focus on him. And it keeps foes guessing. But does he want friends worried, too?
It seems unlikely, given what we’ve witnessed in the first 77 weeks of Trump’s 208week term, but he may have some grand change strategy in mind.
He seems more focused, however, on the morning cable TV shows and grandiose set pieces, such as the Singapore summit and this week’s first formal get-together with Putin.
Such events involve dramatic announcements, substantial buildups, vast media emplacements to capture the moment, and they last one day, maybe two. Then, it’s on to the next episode after these important messages.
It would inspire more confidence in his leadership if, from time to time, he were to share his vision for where he wants to take the country that trusted him with its highest office, beyond just making it great again.
For instance, what did you hear Trump say were his goals going into this week’s muchhyped summit with Putin? Anyone?
In five months, a very large gang of ambitious Democrat wannabes will start taking the field for the 2020 presidential election.
To make his case for reelection, Trump can tout significant tax cuts, and he says he wants more. He’s slashing stifling regulations and presiding over a solid stock market, a burgeoning economy, steady job growth, a strengthening military and, so far, no major terrorism events.
If Trump talked more with Americans instead of at them, they’d be more impressed. And he could cut deeply into that disapproval crowd.