President Trump Redefining What It Means to Be Presidential, Putting Predecessors to Shame

Trump’s unapologetic, America-first action—even when politically incorrect—should serve as the blueprint moving forward and the new standard to which all future presidents are held.

American Thinker 

Following President Trump’s “unambiguous” response to a disrespectful heckler at a Ford plant in Michigan, Democrats attempted to deflect from his many recent accomplishments by resurrecting tired talking points about his alleged lack of “presidential” temperament. This label first emerged during the 2016 election cycle, when Hillary Clinton failed in her effort to dissuade voters from supporting our now 45th and 47th president by arguing that his temperament would be detrimental to American interests. In the ten years since, Trump has proven that his temperament is not merely unproblematic but, in fact, one of his many strengths—redefining what it means to be “presidential” in the process.

In the modern age, political correctness is antithetical to a successful presidency. America is tasked with defeating a godless Democrat ideology at home—one that encourages irreversible gender mutilation surgeries for minors, removes guardrails from the American election system, and espouses rhetoric that demonizes law enforcement, among many other overt evils. Abroad, a wave of dystopian leftism continues to claim countless victims while attempting to spread its influence into the U.S. as well. Given this dire state of affairs, how a president confronts these challenges should determine whether they are “presidential” or not.

Unfortunately, the term continues to be conflated with political correctness. Nonetheless, President Trump prioritizes duty to country over appearances more than any president of the past fifty years, which is why he is, without a doubt, the most “presidential” of them all.

Throughout the Trump era, revisionist historians have effectively rebranded the tenures of past presidents. If a Trump predecessor possessed a poor policy record, the anti-Trump establishment in both government and media focuses on perceived character. If character was lacking, its importance is downplayed in favor of “the measurables.” Regardless of how scandalous or unsuccessful President Trump’s predecessors’ terms were, many are now spoken of favorably through empty platitudes designed to serve the anti-Trump mission of diminishing his historic support.

For decades, Jimmy Carter was rightfully tethered to his abysmal economic record as well as his poor handling of the Iranian hostage crisis. Now, he is most often spoken of as a great humanitarian and humble peanut farmer. Similarly, Bill Clinton’s economic record is frequently touted while the generational scandal that brought immense shame to the nation is downplayed.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden failed mightily from both a policy and character standpoint, yet both have seen their failures downplayed and their images reimagined. Obama steered the American healthcare system down a path toward socialism while weakening America’s standing abroad. He also divided a nation that had been united in the years following the September 11th attacks by ushering in an era of race-baiting anti-Americanism. Biden carried on the Obama legacy by choreographing the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal while presiding over an economic disaster that saw inflation rise at a greater rate than during the abysmal Carter years. He, too, divided the nation by directly attacking Americans who aligned with the MAGA agenda, labeling those who opted against the COVID vaccine as hospital-bound extremists, and brought further shame and embarrassment to the country by nurturing a period of transgender insanity—along with countless gaffes in the presence of the media and world leaders.

Democrats are unsurprisingly protected by the media (the evidence supports this). What requires more contemplation is why previous Republican presidents—viciously attacked while in office—are now astonishingly held in high regard by their former detractors. Ronald Reagan was vilified by the media throughout his terms for various policy stances, and his mental acuity was repeatedly questioned due to his age. By 2016, that same media was quick to spotlight his sons as voices of reason when they claimed our 40th president would disavow Trump if he were alive. Both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush were constant media targets due to their economic records and handling of foreign affairs. They also endured character assaults, with H.W. labeled as out of touch and wimpy, and W. widely regarded as unintelligent because of his many “Bushisms.” Yet when it was revealed that neither voted for then-candidate Trump in 2016, their reputations were reframed to depict relatable former public servants living simple lives and championing “bipartisanship” through personal friendships with the Clintons and the Obamas.

Citing Trump criticism from previously chastised Republican presidents would be too glaringly hypocritical without this sudden about-face. Therefore, it is a necessary step in furthering the narrative of “condemnation of Trump from both sides of the aisle.”

The good news for America is that this coordinated effort has failed. That is because, since throwing his (red MAGA) hat into the political arena in June of 2015, President Trump has exemplified what it truly means to be presidential: unapologetically acting in the best interests of the nation’s people, regardless of resistance. That core principle has remained at the heart of Trump’s actions throughout his candidacies and presidencies. His 2016 candidacy was a direct call to action against corrupt and entrenched institutions. His 2016 victory proved that an elite, condescending class of faux experts in media and politics—who dismissed the cries of the “average” American—was far less influential than a nation fed up with its lack of options. His subsequent actions as president have only reaffirmed this pivotal principle. 

In addition to staving off multiple impeachments, indictments, and assassination attempts, President Trump—forced to pause his momentum between terms due to the fraudulent 2020 election—has saved America from two historically destructive presidencies. He closed the porous southern border and shored up America’s immigration system to prevent further entries while carrying out a multi-million illegal-alien deportation operation. He stood up for American industry by enacting tariffs that secured trillions of dollars in U.S. investment. He worked to address the Biden-era affordability crisis by lowering costs for food, gas, mortgage rates, and beyond. He protected America through a zero-tolerance stance on crime that resulted in the largest single-year drop in murders ever recorded just one year after reclaiming the Oval Office. Abroad, he brought an end to several major conflicts by demonstrating the power and precision of American military capabilities. These accomplishments—and countless others better suited for analysis in a long-form book than a single article—were achieved while exposing widespread waste, fraud, and abuse across state and federal governments at the expense of Americans.

No recent president has proven more capable of the task than President Trump. Because of this, he has become the model for what it truly means to be presidential. He has changed the presidency much as he has changed the nation as a whole—for the better. High scores on the political correctness scale while failing to deliver on substance as other countries take advantage of the U.S., should no longer be considered “presidential.” If it is, then the term itself should be rendered meaningless. Instead, Trump’s unapologetic, America-first action—even when politically incorrect—should serve as the blueprint moving forward and the new standard to which all future presidents are held.