The Trump Presidency: The Absence of an Executive
For the first time in 228 years the United States of America finds itself without an executive.
George Washington’s title throughout and after the Revolutionary War was “His Excellency”. As the pseudo-monarch of the colonies, the man who united all hearts, the father of his country, the “indispensable man”, the title was fitting. He saw his role as a humble attempt to fill the need for a leader for all his people and submitted his ego accordingly (1). Thus he made himself into the symbol of not only America herself, but of American possibility and future prosperity — which he embraced by pushing the idea of Manifest Destiny in the attempt to forge a cohesive nation through the expansion of American peoples and territories. He was a man who began life as a second son with no prospects beyond the military, but after a lifetime of luck and prudence died the (arguably) richest man in America (2). He carefully cultivated his image as a father-figure beginning with his first military command in the French and Indian War, and gathered promising young men into his “official family”, carefully exerting his influence on policy through them to maintain his position as ceremonial sovereign. Perhaps most important of all, he was singularly focused on establishing the dignity and integrity of his office through his own reputation in the eyes of the American people. George Washington set the precedent for the executive branch that dictated the behavior and powers of all following administrations. He set the bar for what it means to hold the Executive Office, and we have judged all who followed in his office to that standard.
Until 2016. After 220 years of Presidents striving to meet the standard set by their original predecessor, the original American executive, we find ourselves without. Instead we have Donald J. Trump, the business ‘executive’ president. The man who loves to call himself the very image of prosperity, yet would have a greater net wealth if he’d never even touched his inheritance and left it to accumulate interest, and who has filed for bankruptcy so many times domestic banks wouldn’t even lend to him. The man who attended a military academy, then dodged the draft four times, and periodically disrespects and diminishes war heroes publicly while President. Trump has established himself as a symbol, yes, but instead of representing all Americans, he actively disparages wide swaths of his citizenry — and ignores the needs of those who are most desperate (like Puerto Rico) — while winking at those who outwardly express their desires to oppress the formers and claim him as their symbol. Where Washington carefully cultivated his image as a father figure, Trump actively corrupts the image of himself as a father with the frequent sexualization of his own daughter, the periodic disregard for his sons since they were children, and the notable absence of poor Tiffany (who?) (3). Overall he exhibits a distinctive lack of empathy and unconcern for the dignity of his office, and as a result the Executive branch and the government itself suffers both in its domestic power and its influence abroad.
One must imagine what our Great Experiment would have looked like if it had been set by Trump’s precedent instead. I imagine it, and I see nothing. Washington’s resilience, integrity, and dignity founded and established America. Without “His Excellency” George Washington’s symbolism, we would have devolved from a congress of states hoping to forge a nation for the sake of liberty, prosperity, and a bright future for humanity into a feeding frenzy of competing interests and failed dreams. Lest we forget what a true executive looks like, what an executive necessary for America’s survival looks like, remember: Trump is not him.
(1) His too-little too-late stance on the enslavement of black people being the exception.
(2) When calculating net worth of lands and assets at the time of his death. Which, it should be noted, he split up amongst his relatives (and to his former slaves) decisively preventing the establishment a dynastic wealthy family.
(3) See Gail Collins’ NYT Op-Ed on Maples’ book Raising Trump:
“During their infamous divorce, Dad sent a bodyguard from his office to get Junior, announcing: ‘You’re not getting him back. I’m going to bring him up myself.’ Ivana says she responded: ‘O.K., keep him. I have two other kids to raise.’ Silence and 10 minutes later the bodyguard returned her son.”
