The most he will concede is that “Donald Trump’s administration has chosen not to wager U.S. safety on Iran’s abandoning its multi-decade pursuit of nuclear weapons, or on Iran’s acquiring them but not really meaning ‘Death to America.’”
Wait. Trump’s “administration” made that choice? To whom in the administration is Will referring, if not Trump himself? The secretary of Agriculture? The EPA administrator? The guy managing the nation’s helium reserve?
Despite admitting that Trump has engineered a profound reversal in the U.S. standing in the world, George Will is sure to go right back to writing about how dangerous and incompetent he and his administration officials are. He will have plenty of company, to be sure.
In Trump’s first term – despite facing a weaponized Justice Department and fending off impeachments – he cut taxes, did more to deregulate the economy than any predecessor, spurred domestic energy production, and appointed solid conservatives to the bench (who then overturned the horrible Roe v. Wade decision).
All had been on conservative wish lists for eons.
Trump is checking off conservative wish list items even faster in his second term – cutting funding to public broadcasting, draining the DEI swamp, setting the course to sunset the Education Department, and now, even as George Will admits, restoring the credibility of U.S. deterrence.
No matter.
Never Trumpers take the wins, then go on telling themselves, and anyone who will listen, that we’d have been better off had Hillary Clinton or Kamala Harris were in the White House.
Full disclosure. Back in 2016, when we were on Investor’s Business Daily’s (since disbanded) editorial board, we didn’t like Donald Trump. Of the 17 Republican candidates, he was one of our least favorites.
Not because Trump lacked sophistication or political experience, but because he seemed to be one of the least reliably conservative of the bunch. Decades of experience had taught us that even solidly conservative politicians tend to “grow” in office – meaning they become more accepted by the Uniparty establishment.
As Trump’s first term unfolded, however, we marveled that he seemed to grow more conservative by the day. On his last day in office, we wrote about “Trump’s Top-10 Triumphs: A Last Look At A Remarkable Presidency.”
Do we like everything Trump did then or is doing now? Of course not. Back in the day, we didn’t like everything Ronald Reagan did, or the Bushes, either. Trump’s chaotic tariff campaign has been economically damaging. His inexplicable unwillingness or inability to sell his achievements to everyday Americans puts the midterms in danger. His lack of hawkishness on spending cuts leaves the country on the wrong fiscal road.
But, as the saying goes, those who constantly point the finger of calumny at Trump point three fingers back at themselves.
— Written by the I&I Editorial Board
I & I Editorial Board
The Issues and Insights Editorial Board has decades of experience in journalism, commentary and public policy.