Just out of the starting blocks, President Trump has already created a furor of reactions to his style of governing. One should not judge too soon, but I cannot help but have some reactions of my own. We are going to witness a chief executive officer of this nation that is totally different from the mold of the past. While he may respect traditions, he doesn’t seem to be bound by them.
Trump’s inaugural speech strongly indicated that he has a defiant attitude. In the company of his predecessors, he roasted them with a rundown of the country’s problems. The cameras panned their faces and put their obvious discomfort on display for the world to see. Past winners of the POTUS’s seat might have shown deference to their distinguished audience. Trump, however, stuck to the guns of his campaign rhetoric. He thought the former occupants of the office did a bad job and he had the audacity to point it out.
But his speech also gave the vast crowd of supporters red meat of specific plans. Pundits expected him to retreat into feints and vagaries, hedge on his promises, and become “presidential.” Not a chance. He fooled everyone except those who knew him, or who, at least, read his book, “The Art of the Deal.” Donald J. Trump doesn’t like to watch grass grow or paint dry. He did not run for office as a politician, but as a wheeler-dealer, billionaire businessman who’s MO was getting things done. As he said, the time for talk was over. The time for action had arrived. The jaws of the professionals may have dropped, but the jaws of the public spread in a grin from ear to ear. It was fascinating to watch him pull the plug on the swamp and see the water start to spiral down the drain.
Even more instructive was sending out his press secretary, Sean Spicer, to rip the press for falsely saying that he had gotten rid of the MLK bust from the oval office, and for misrepresenting the size of the inaugural crowd. Commentators railed on him for pettiness and launching into an inappropriate tantrum instead of dealing with substantive matters. But they will learn that this is the Trump style. When attacked, strike back even harder, and do it immediately. He served notice on anyone who tries to unfairly hit on him that they will not be ignored. He not only put the Trump way on display, he also was—in my opinion—making up for years of Republican trepidation and fear. Few in the GOP have deigned to oppose the press, and voters have criticized them for caving in to Democrats on issue after issue. When Trump thinks he’s right, the fight is on.
Is this the way a president should act? Would it be better to have the POTUS fit the mold of decorum and protocol, but fail to move the country forward? Or can we put up with a brash, rough-and-tumble, anti-politician who couldn’t care less about impressions, but who makes good on the very promises he made to the voters who elected him to office? We shall see. If President Trump can whip Washington into shape, if he can control the borders, if he can create millions of jobs, if he can engender respect in the world through strengthening the military, if the citizens of this country will be better off in 2021 than in 2017, then I wouldn’t mind seeing it happen.
Finally, it was pointed out to me than the inauguration included more prayers than any swearing in ceremony in the nation’s history. I also heard the name of Jesus mentioned more times in this inaugural event than I ever remembered in recent history. This bodes well for the church. Our Bishop, David K. Bernard, remarked recently that we have an open window of opportunity given to us. May we take full advantage of this window and do everything we can to foster revival and growth while we can.
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4-5. If Donald Trump can be an instrument in the hands of God, I pray that he succeeds. Let us pray to that end.