Op-ed: Why I Still Support President Trump

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By D. Maor

As a young boy, the first president I remember was Gerald Ford. (Yes I know, I am aging myself. I just turned 51.)

His predecessor Richard Nixon was a great leader and protector of America. Obviously he was indelibly marred by the Watergate scandal, which sealed his fate, and resulted in Nixon becoming the only American president to have resigned his office.

But following his resignation, America went into a forty year slump, as far as presidents go.

Gerald Ford had no chance to succeed. His entire 2½ years in the White House were devoted to mending the American people, and recovering from Nixon’s stains. One cannot push forward any agenda under such circumstances.

In 1980 Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter.

What can I say? Although he was the governor of Georgia before becoming president, but a career peanut farmer isn’t exactly the right man for the nation’s highest office.

Carter’s mishandling of the Iranian hostage crisis will not find him favor with presidential historians. (444 days, amounting to nearly ⅓ of his presidency.) The Israeli-Egyptian peace he brokered was very positive (it has lasted virtually unharmed till today), but retroactively, we know how much of a sonei Yisroel Jimmy Carter really is.

Next came Ronald Reagan. Many Republican candidates in the the 2016 election advertised to voters that they will be the next Ronald Reagan. Reagan was indeed a “cheerleader” for American, having bolstered the American nuclear arsenal against the Soviet Union, and creating a positive economy.

But we must not forget that Ronald Reagan was a movie star. They called him “Ronald MacDonald” at first. There is a clip on YouTube, that shows each president taking the Oath of Office. Have a look at Reagan taking the oath, and note his facial gestures. It clearly sends us a message that he’s on stage, receiving acting instructions from a director. Again, I’m not taking anything away from Ronald Reagan’s accomplishments, but at the end of the day, he was an actor, which diminishes that sanctity of the office.

Ronald Reagan’s vice president was George H.W. Bush, who defeated Mike Dukakis in the 1988 presidential election. In one of the debates, Dukakis (who was against capital punishment) was famously asked if he would favor the death penalty if his own wife would be raped and killed. He answered, “no”. Is it that difficult to defeat such a candidate who has very little regard for humanity?

But George H.W. Bush was leveled by Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi leader completely ignored the president, and launched the Gulf War against Israel. President Bush did not allow Israel to retaliate! Can you imagine? I don’t regard him as a good president.

Now we enter the Bill Clinton era. He may have done something to boost the economy – but any president that gets impeached, especially for what he was impeached for – is not a good president in my eyes.

In the 2016 election, candidate Jeb Bush was asked how he would act differently, since the American people are tired of dynasty politicians. His brother George W. Bush solidified that dynasty by defeating Clinton’s vice president Al Gore in the 2000 election.

In Israel, both Bushes were called “boosha” (disgrace) by many rabbonim. Weak presidents don’t fare well in politics. When president-elect George W. Bush was still the governor of Texas, the media reported on how the Bushes like to go to sleep at 9:00 PM. A president cannot go to sleep at 9:00 PM.

Bush was definitely pro Israel during his two terms in office. But his facial reaction upon hearing about the September 11 attacks said it all. It’s possible that he knew about it beforehand, or wasn’t that phased by the tragedy.

Next came Barack Obama. I’d rather not discuss his presidency, but I’ll make one reference, which sums it all up.

Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Moscow to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The latter put the former on hold for seven hours before meeting him! Is it a wonder why the next president’s slogan was “Make America Great Again”?

Enter Donald J. Trump.

Many frum people were intrigued by his campaign, while many other Americans were disgusted by it.

But on November 8, 2016, the American people spoke, and suddenly America changed course.

Starting to work for America well before his inauguration (a rarity for president-elects), Trump brokered the deal with the Carrier factory in Indiana, which was soon to close done, and the jobs were to be sent to Mexico.

I lived in Detroit for many years, and wrote software for the automotive industry. How pained I was to learn that the assembly plant that I frequently visited was being shut down, and the jobs were shipped south of the border. But President Trump pulled through again, as only the author of “The Art of the Deal” can. He negotiated with the relevant parties, and revived the otherwise dead plant.

His list of achievements continued with the Foxconn $7 Billion contract to build the Taiwanese factory near Milwaukee. And even white-collar workers will benefit from his presidency, with the huge Japanese investment in Palo Alto.

True, there is a significant amount of in-fighting in the Trump White House, and nobody’s proud of that.

True, his demeanor, and choice of words, don’t necessarily reflect that of a frum Yid.

But for all of his accomplishments, including standing strong and firm against the North Korean threat, I will always support President Donald J. Trump, through thick and thin.

Signed,

An American living in Ramat Beit Shemesh


32 COMMENTS

  1. Well said with some common sense without the whining and spin that accommodates much of the narrative of Trump. G-d bless the USA. Medina shel chesed

  2. Are you crazy? Such random pieces of nonsense. How exactly is Trump better than the aforementioned presidents?Better than Bush because he doesn’t go to sleep at 9? Give me a break. Clinton is a menuval and that’s wrong, but you ignore the fact that Trump is a way bigger menuval. There is so much wrong with this article. Hardly “pasts” for anyone who has a brain in his head to write such nonsense.

      • Google it. There is plenty out there.

        People need to be careful with Trump. Today he may support Israel. One day someone Jewish may insult him and then he will turn his back on them. He is unpredictable and dangerous.

      • Really? You need proof that he is a menuval? After what was exposed during the campaign? I voted for him because he is way better than Hillary, but in no way is he personally a great man to be admired! Even if he is doing great things for USA.

        • You saw him cheating? Had you not hated him so much for taking your programs away you’d have read that he divorced before he went to the next wife. Nothing wrong with that.

          No proof he’s a menuval. Typical MSM left corrupt media slandering their opponent and not reporting that those women who accused him admitted receiving 1/2 million dollars. So get your facts straight before accusing others and stop being so bitter.

          President Trump is a G-d fearing person which is why he has so much siyatta Dishmaya.

  3. “Many frum people were intrigued by his campaign, while many other Americans were disgusted by it.
    But on November 8, 2016, the American people spoke, and suddenly America changed course.”
    This is according to Fake News.

    In the real polls according to hundreds of computer AI algorithm studies and App Maker, Donald Trump was always between 60 and 75 points during elections and they knew it good and well. He was generally with 10-20 points ahead of Hillary. None of the studies even had 5 points ahead of Hillary or less than her. In Aug they already concluded that Trump will win in a landslide.
    Like she stole the race from Sanders, she was trying to steal it from Trump by bribing the polling agencies. Even today these fake polls are lying to the public to undermine President Trump. They start with 50% approval and keep going down to 30. They can’t go less because then everyone will catch on they’re fake.

  4. Yes Thank you for this wonderful article. Last night I was one of the thirty or so counter protesters at Trump Towers. There were blocks of anti Trump protesters,many being reform Jews.We had among pro Trump group a half dozen guys with yarmulkas. The reaction by the reform Jews was amazing. Some inquired how they can learn more about their faith. Some never met up with an Orthodox Jew and so poured out their questions of life. What an experience

    • I saw you guys there and I hope you asked a very respectable Rov before you did what you did. I can sympathize with your desire to show Orthodox support but it is not “always” best to do so in a public forum, especially surrounded by Trump haters and in such a liberal city. I question if it was worth it…

  5. An American Living in Bet Shemesh, please stay out of American Politics . Your discussion of American Presidents and their accomplishments is juvenile and wouldn’t pass for a 3rd grade history book. Please focus on aveerah darah dyisroel machkim and enjoy the mitzvah of walking daled amos in eretz yisroel.

  6. I support Trump no matter what, just like the blacks supported Obama no matter what. Trump can do no wrong its only CNN and MSNBC and the rest of the fake news media that are sabotaging him, remember all those hate crimes against Jews were committed by a Jew in Israel and a black liberal.

  7. In 1980 Carter did not defeat Ford. Reagan defeated Carter.

    On a side note, anyone remember the MBC song “Mr. Carter”? “Your’e moving out in 1980!”

  8. So the author thinks Reagan is a bad president because he was an actor but Trump is OK because he was a tv host and sticks his name on everything?

    I don’t understand why any proud Republican would support this man. I daven everyday to HK”BH that Trump is impeached and we get an actual G-d fearing man and true mensch as president in Vice President Pence. Talk about restoring the dignity of the White House!

    And for the record, Carrier sent those jobs to Mexico after all and Foxconn has made grand pronouncements about factories in the US without doing anything.
    http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2017/05/22/carrier-announces-timeline-for-eliminating-indianapolis-jobs.html

    http://www.marketwatch.com/story/foxconns-history-of-broken-promises-casts-a-shadow-on-wisconsin-news-2017-07-27

    • You’d be better off praying Hashem should give you some yiras Shamayim and find you a zivug that would make a mentch out of you and open your brains a bit.

  9. A fine Article.
    Nixon really had alot classic pluses to him and his presidency.
    Problem was there were contradictory elements within his administration.
    Furthermore he suffered from the narrow assumption that everyone was out to get him,and what he stood for.
    Though alot of that was arguably accurate,
    the country and the world sorely needed someone with ‘ infectious optimism’

  10. Correct about some points but grossly incorrect about many. Reagan was arguably the best modern president even the democrats agree. The bushes I hear you on bush 41 was totally outplayed by saddam but 43 with his moral clarity was awesome I miss him every day. He knew about 9/11 before?? You crazy! Obama? That’s what you didn’t like about him?? My goodness!

  11. The truth is that we Orthodox Jews never had such a friend in the White House among presidents since George Washington. On every level Trump is best for authentic Jews.

    • 100% true but not only for Jews. About 95% of the American public love him (even though MSM are hiding this fact). They’re even talking about abolishing the 2020 elections because nobody will be able to beat him. May Hashem watch over him and protect him.

    • Give us 3 examples of how Trump is best for authentic Jews ? ( While it takes him 2 days to reject KKK and Neo Nazis and then he changes his tune and calls many of them fine people.)

  12. R’ Maor, you’re surely reading these comments. What do you say?
    As a reluctant Trumper myself, I have a hard time saying anything other than, let’s give him a chance, he is accomplishing something.
    But I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to enthusiastically get behind him. I hesitate to say this, having had ingrained in me the imperative to respect the government and rulers. Had he consistently been acting presidential and measured, as he promised to during his campaign, I’d be able to overlook “True, his demeanor, and choice of words, don’t necessarily reflect that of a frum Yid.” (Though come on, it’s more than that. He has made terrible personal moral choices in his life.)

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