On surface level, the Trump administration appears headed towards disaster. And when you take a deeper look, that perspective doesn’t really change. The once-unflappable President now suddenly finds himself vulnerable due to multiple controversies. Worse yet, the terrible optics portend a dour outlook for conservatism.
Obviously, the Mueller investigation has consistently clouded the White House. While President Trump and his closest confidants have stridently denied any collusion with the Russian government, suspicions have not faded. More importantly, federal authorities have arrested several Trump allies, leading to damning confessions.
Over the last few days, the President inexplicably announcement a complete pullout from Syria. In doing so, the White House handed Russia, and to a lesser extent, Iran, a tremendous and undeserved victory.
Naturally, this move angered his advisors, most prominently Defense Secretary James Mattis. A retired Marine Corps general, Mattis has earned a reputation for resoluteness under extreme pressure. Invariably, he imposes fear in his enemies. At the same time, our allies respect the general’s commitment to critical security alliances.
Unable to reconcile with Trump’s world views, Mattis handed over his resignation letter. Later, Trump fired him as the Commander-in-Chief apparently couldn’t handle the outpouring of support towards the Defense Secretary.
If that wasn’t enough, Trump’s daughter Ivanka is under a criminal investigation. Ivanka Trump allegedly negotiated room rates at the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC for the presidential inauguration. However, the rates greatly exceeded fair market value, and the rooms went to foreign officials seeking to buy influence.
If the allegations are true, the matter could derail the Trump administration and the future of conservatism.
A Dangerous Time for Conservatism
Immediately, pro-Trump circles attempted to quiet down the latest batch of scandals and controversies. Previously, advocates had plenty of ammunition to gun down accusations. This time, though, the administration and conservatism broadly speaking appear headed towards a rough road.
For starters, no administration can absorb a constant barrage of criticisms. The prevailing wisdom is that a few controversies probably represent isolated cases. But an overriding presence of problems suggest a concerted effort to deceive. That doesn’t bode well for Trump, who can’t relate to anybody from the left.
Second, the President no longer enjoys universal support from his base. Recently, I watched a clip from the morning show, Fox & Friends. Co-host Brian Kilmeade, usually a Trump apologist, unexpectedly criticized Trump for the Syria pullout. Essentially, he argued that the U.S. cannot leave before finishing the job.
This leads me to wonder if elite power-brokers engineered this administration’s many gaffes. Based on the evidence, we received a globalist-fighter in name only. Instead, what we have is someone dangerously ignorant of geopolitical nuances. The former real-estate mogul’s decisions could render an impact that could be felt for decades.
Even more troubling, if Trump fails his upcoming 2020 test, this won’t merely represent an end of an administration. Rather, it could derail conservatism. So far, our relations with China have hit rock-bottom. Russia has suddenly surged to global-superpower status. Our allies disdain us. Adding salt on open wounds, the stock market has tanked.
Who would want more of that? History will show that Trump pulled off a miracle victory. Unfortunately, it came at the cost of true conservatism.