Early Warnings

From the outset of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, there were clear warning signs that he is unfit for political office.

His insistence that those that opposed him, particularly Hillary Clinton, should be “locked up” were a defining anthem of Trump rallies. Such language is right out of Nazi Germany or, more appropriately in the case of Trump, Putin’s Russia. The rhetoric alone, even if devoid of intent, is anti-American and indicative of Trump’s authoritarian mindset.

Trump’s overt hostility to the press, another significant red flag, has been a defining characteristic of his political career from the beginning. This attitude is entirely predictable — incompetence abhors scrutiny. It is also important to emphasize that this hostility extends beyond general criticism of the press, as Trump often targets specific news outlets and individual reporters by name during his rallies, thereby endangering journalists by inciting his more fanatical followers.

Another early warning was Trump’s fondness for name-calling. “Little Marco”, “Lyin’ Ted”, “Crooked Hillary” — given that he is intellectually incapable of engaging in substantive dialog, Trump has no option but to resort to childish taunts. Sadly, the level of maturity and dignity expected in presidential campaigns has declined considerably since 2008 when John McCain famously rebuked a radio talk show host for repeatedly emphasizing Barack Obama’s middle name, “Hussein”, in a pejorative manner.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly suggested that he might not accept the outcome of the election if he lost, casting doubt on the integrity of the electoral process before a single vote was cast. Such rhetoric was unprecedented for a major party candidate and foreshadowed his behavior following the 2020 election. Today, of course, Trump’s most devoted followers have been indoctrinated with a belief in “stolen elections.”

A profound ignorance of government and policy, reckless judgment, absence of integrity, insatiable narcissism, and contempt for the rule of law — Trump suffers from numerous character flaws that are the very antithesis of effective leadership.

While these traits might make Donald Trump an ideal candidate for political office in Russia, Iran, or Venezuela, they are disqualifying for any position of authority in a true democracy.