It may feel much longer, but we have just put the first two months of the Trump administration behind us. It’s important, even in the midst of his first legislative crisis and a moment of great uncertainty for his administration, to take a step back and consider his young presidency in its entirety.
President Trump’s strongest area in his second month was once again personnel. Following some strong nominees in his first days (most notably Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court), Trump has bolstered his staff.
Trump replaced Mike Flynn with the superb H.R. McMaster as national security adviser. Nominating the serious and skilled Scott Gottlieb to head the Food and Drug Administration could have long-lasting positive effects. Dropping fast-food CEO and cheap-labor aficionado Andrew Puzder in favor of Alex Acosta for Labor Department secretary was another major upgrade.
Trump’s pick of conservative Mick Mulvaney for budget chief paid an early dividend with the smart budget blueprint. The blueprint had both strengths and weakness in its funding levels, but more importantly, it told some important conservative stories. The cuts throughout the budget came with explanations that reflected a serious approach to governing.
Some programs were targeted for cuts because they hadn’t shown results. Other programs were on the chopping block because their functions were more properly carried out by state or local government or the private sector. These documents, if they drive and shape the Republican approach to federal spending, could drive real reform.
The other highlight of Trump’s second month was his address to Congress. As a piece of rhetoric it was strong rather than brilliant. But it was an uplifting statement of a pragmatic and frequently conservative approach to government. And it was proof that Trump has the ability to lead and to present a presidential mien. He can be pretty good when he stays on script and puts in the work.
But there’s the rub. Too often Trump shoots from the lip, with embarrassing consequences or worse. A morning tweet accusing President Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower seems to have been the president retailing an unsourced story from talk radio. The White House has had to defend him on this charge, even while it has been refuted.
This infuriates the press, which the president may think a good thing, but it is like a sugar high — shortlived and unwise. Trump’s carelessness with words is immensely frustrating to those who wish him success because it produces confusion or contempt, which in turn make him less likely to succeed. He keeps getting in his own way.
The White House made it worse by accusing Britain of helping Obama spy on Trump Tower, an unfounded allegation for which the administration had swiftly to apologize.
“He tells it like it is,” was common praise among Trump’s supporters, but it never meant “he speaks the truth.” It meant, “he says what he feels and thinks, and doesn’t care who gets upset.” That was perfect for a reality TV host, effective on Twitter, and worked, just, during the election campaign. But it is not fitting for the occupant of the Oval Office.
Many of the mini-crises of the past two months have been of Trump’s own making, and the result of his particular brand of insouciant sloppiness. It was apparent in the half-baked executive order on immigration, the factless and petty fights about inauguration crowds, the caginess about Russia, the spats with Nordstrom’s, the conflicts of interest involving his companies, the wiretapping charge, and so on.
Diligence and self-discipline would have prevented all of these problems. Trump got by without those virtues until now, but his current job demands them.
Trump’s efforts on healthcare also reflect that he hasn’t adapted from his old work to his new job. He has experience negotiating deals, but not with 218 counterparties simultaneously. His threat to walk away from negotiations is familiar, but it didn’t prove effective.
The theme of Trump’s first two months has been success when everything is lined up ahead of time, and chaos when he improvises.
He may not feel abashed, but those around him clearly do, and their boss needs to learn that in politics, when you’re explaining you’re losing. Trump plainly wants to be a winner. He needs to realize that he can only be so if he takes every day of his job as seriously as he took his speech to Congress. His lack of discipline and self-control could prove disastrous when he encounters his first crisis not of his own making. He has qualities that could make him a great success. But he also has faults that could destroy him. Anyone wishing the country well, should hope that the former will swiftly overmaster the latter.
