To be clear, Donald Trump has some accomplishments as president. It is almost unavoidable to be the most powerful person in the world for four years without some successes.
Trump’s accomplishments, however, will forever be overshadowed by his failures and the discord he has sown. He entered office lamenting a fanciful “American carnage.” He leaves office Wednesday having brought that carnage to life.
Trump supporters will point to a booming economy prior to the arrival of coronavirus; the appointment of more than 200 federal judges; the creation of the Space Force; tightening rules for immigration and asylum-seekers; the destruction of the ISIS caliphate; and steps toward peace in the Middle East.
There is reason to call some of these a triumph; others are more specious. For example, Trump’s policies merely continued the economic trajectory that started during the Obama administration while greatly increasing the federal debt — even before COVID-19. The federal debt now stands at more than $84,000 per person.
In the long run, the most significant accomplishment of the Trump administration likely will be reform in the federal criminal justice system. Under “First Step” policies, mandatory minimum sentences will be reduced for certain drug offenses and prisoners will more easily qualify for early release. The federal justice system accounts for a small percentage of the nation’s prisoners, but approving more humane treatment will pave the way for states to enact their own reforms.
That humane action stands in contrast to many of Trump’s policies. His presidency has been marked not only by incompetence but by a cruelty that should be shocking for all Americans.
Most abhorrent was a family separation policy at the southern border. While Trump tepidly tried to defend the policy, inaccurately arguing that the Obama administration did the same thing, there is one inescapable fact: The United States government stole children from their parents with no plan for reuniting them. The parents of more than 600 children still have not been located, reflecting a level of inhumanity that encapsulates the administration’s misanthropic tendencies.
The action is symbolic of policies Trump promised would be “America first,” but instead have become “America alone.” We have largely isolated ourselves from the international community, withdrawing from agreements, straining longtime alliances and presenting as the face of our nation a leader who is poorly equipped to be on the world stage.
Despite Trump’s frequent assurances that his administration “has accomplished more than almost any administration in the history of our country,” let us not forget that world leaders have openly laughed at him.
That is the result when a nation elects an amateurish president who is a compulsive liar. The Washington Post has documented more than 25,000 false or misleading statements from Trump over the past four years.
Primary among them were claims that the coronavirus would magically disappear. His administration deserves credit for effectively pushing for the quick development of vaccines, but Trump’s response to the virus has left public health and the economy in tatters.
Two months ago, it appeared that would be the most pronounced legacy of the Trump administration. Instead, his frequent falsehoods about election fraud incited an attack on the nation’s Capitol. It was an ugly scene, but a grossly appropriate coda for a failed presidency.
