Trump Is Good at the Game of Politics. Leadership, Not So Much.

on Mar 6, 2025

SAN DIEGO -- In politics, as in life, nothing is 100% good or bad. If you believe otherwise, it's time to check your bias and blindspots.

Take the chaotic second term of President Donald Trump. There are good things happening. You just have to look hard to find them.

I've been on the lookout. Fairness demands it. So does my own desire to remain in the center, even while holding Trump accountable for his transgressions. Lastly, the media's survival might depend on it.

A recent Gallup poll found that Americans' trust in media is at its lowest point in more than 50 years. Only 31% of Americans trust the media a "great deal" or a "fair amount." Meanwhile, 69% say they either have "not very much" trust in media or "none at all."

The media needs to stop being defensive and acknowledge that some of the criticism is legitimate. They also need to spread out their critiques of elected officials more evenly so Democrats aren't off the hook. Finally, they need give Trump credit for what he does right.

I already do the first two things, and so I'm making a run at the third. I'm trying to compliment Trump when he does something right.

To be honest, it's not easy. The man is still everything he was during his first term: a lying, racist, misogynistic, nativist, mean-spirited, narcissistic cross between a conman and a carnival barker. He still makes the mistake of believing that he is grander and more important than the nation he leads. Now, in his second term, Trump has added contempt for the constitutional requirement of checks and balances, a victim complex over his legal troubles and an even greater fondness for authoritarians such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Nevertheless, when appropriate, it's worth pointing out what Trump does right. Or at least what he does well.

The president's recent speech to Congress -- which went on for more than an hour and 40 minutes -- showcased his political instincts. Even though Democrats won't admit it, Trump's skills -- which include his ability to read people, zero in on their concerns and speak their language -- are remarkably sharp for someone who, it's worth noting, spent most of his life outside the political arena.

One of Trump's superpowers is his willingness to unflinchingly use all the powers that come with the presidency with nary a concern for how he will be perceived in the present day or judged by history.

In the last 50 years, the most successful presidents from both parties (i.e., those elected to two terms) freely wielded the enormous power of the office. It's a short list that includes Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Trump brandishes executive power like a samurai sword. He is doing everything from the serious (threatening Hamas leaders with death if they don't release hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023) to the symbolic (declaring English the country's "official language") to the silly (trying to eliminate paper straws and bring back plastic ones).

In analyzing Trump's speech to Congress, and the manner in which he delivered it, one finds the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good: Say what you will, but Trump is a great communicator. He had command of the room, laid out his priorities in clear language, recognized American success stories -- and then had time left over to needle Democrats, who were reduced to childish antics such as holding up small protest signs. The resistance has become ridiculous.

The bad: A lot of what Trump wants to do would harm America. His vision is dark and poisonous. By undermining the Constitution and destroying our system of checks and balances, the president would leave the country weaker, more divided and more diminished than he found it. That's why so much of his agenda must be defeated.

The ugly: This not a good person. It's odd that Trump would scold Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for allegedly being "not nice," and then a few days later, during his speech, mock Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren -- who has claimed Native American heritage -- by referring to her as "Pocahontas." Was that nice?

As Trump entered the House chambers, Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., held up a sign next to him that read: "This Is Not Normal."

No, it is not. But it is reality. The sooner Democrats accept that fact, and fight back, the better off the country will be.

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To find out more about Ruben Navarrette and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.