‘Prepared in Advance for Us to Do’: Trump Positioned to Fight the Coronavirus War
President Donald J. Trump sees off the USNS Comfort Saturday, March 28, 2020, as she departs Naval Air Station Norfolk Pier 8 in Norfolk, Virginia and sets sail for New York City.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)
It’s a cliche, but it’s never been more true. When God made Donald J. Trump, He broke the mold. History has not given us many like The Donald. Even fiction writers would struggle to come up with such a character. Comedy writers will never again be so lucky.
Yet, as we wage war against COVID-19, it seems this … um … unique bit of God’s handiwork has been prepared in advance to lead the fight.
Best Suited
Writing in the Washington Examiner, historian Doug Wead argues that of our recent presidents, Trump is the best suited for this battle. “The current fight favors a president quick to decide, willing to let businesses help out, friendly with the media and with a ‘deep desire to do right.'” None of the presidents going back to Gerald Ford have all four qualities. But only two had three of the four: Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. And, argues Wead, Clinton likely would have been entangled in his personal scandals to fully take care of the task at hand.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo as Well?
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has been earning high marks for his response to the coronavirus pandemic rocking his state. He, too, appears to have been prepared in advance for this time. What New York needs is a governor who can communicate calmly, rationally, even movingly to his people. Moreover, it needs in this desperate hour a tough, veteran leader who has been to the show before, who knows every single nook and cranny of the state government, who knows how to use every single tool in the state’s arsenal.
Andrew Cuomo was practically raised in the New York State House. He watched his father’s rise through state politics and was at Mario Cuomo’s side during his three terms as governor. It’s hard to imagine anyone else being as prepared.
Wead only scratches the surface. Adding Trump’s experiences and personality, his successes and his failures, one can’t help but conclude Trump was raised up for this very hour.
My Pillow’s Mike Lindell said essentially the same thing Monday in the Rose Garden and was widely mocked. Yes, the mainstream media hates the notion of God having a hand in America. God shedding His grace on thee is soooooooo quaint. A folksie self-made millionaire sooooo ridiculous. But there’s no other way to explain a President Trump. Trump winning never made much sense. It was certainly befuddling to evangelical leaders, given a GOP field crowded with strong believers.
But consider the evidence.
Who Do You Want in the Chair?
Start with the resume. Donald Trump is a builder. In his line of business, when there’s a problem, theory doesn’t cut it. Neither does good intentions, nor endless deliberation. The elevators either reach the top floor or they don’t. The AC reaches each room or it doesn’t. The building either stands or it doesn’t. Practical solutions, creative solutions, timely solutions are all that matters. When coronavirus is creating massive problems on multiple, seemingly endless fronts, who do you want in the Oval Office? A pragmatic problem solver or a politician? If you are trying to move heaven and earth, it helps to start with a guy who’s actually moved around some earth.
When the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers is rushing to build hospitals at hot spots across the country, who do you want in the Oval Office, a lawyer or a guy who’s forgotten more about building than most politicos will ever know?
When the room is filled with CEOs responsible for maintaining the supply chain that’s keeping America alive, who do you want in the chair? A community organizer or someone whose had to actually had to deal with supply chains every day for decades?
When dealing with the travel and service industry, how good to have someone who owns hotels and resorts.
When dealing with the airline industry, how good to have someone who actually had his own airline.
When dealing with small business owners, how good to have someone who’s launched small businesses.
When dealing with corporate titans, how good to have someone who is a business titan.
When dealing with endless data, how good to have someone whose been crunching numbers since his days at Wharton Business School?
Even when dealing with daily press briefings, how good to have a communicator who can keep people glued to their TVs.
His (Sometimes Maddening) Personality
And consider his personality traits. Even the ones that are oftentimes maddening.
When dealing with red tape, how good to have a stubborn someone who won’t take no for an answer.
When dealing with troublesome companies or countries, how good to have someone who can be brutal.
When dealing with an urgent global crisis, how good to have someone who seems tireless.
When dealing with a frightful situation, how good to have someone who is fearless.
When in a war, how good to have a commander-in-chief who is a fierce fighter, who doesn’t concede an inch to any enemy? Who simply does not quit, does not stop charging ahead regardless of incoming fire.
The virus is not playing by the Marquess of Queensberry rules. Good for us we have a street-fighter from Queens.
We Will Recover
So far I’ve spoken about Trump’s positive professional experiences as having prepared him for this day. Perhaps more important have been his failures. And there have been many. Ventures that bombed. Casinos that went kaput. Trump Airline. Trump Water. Etc. Etc. His critics would love sharing with you the entire list. God calls it “preparation in advance.” What insight did he gain from having his hand in such an array of diverse industries? What lessons in perseverance were learned from his failures? How good is it to have a president who very nearly lost it all?
On Tuesday, Trump warned Americans “This is going to be a very painful two weeks. Our strength will be tested and our endurance tried.” But he said, there will be a “burst of light.” Over and over for weeks now, Donald Trump has been saying, “We will bounce back,” “We will recover.” Again Tuesday, “We will prevail. We will win.” These are not just words. He is speaking from deep personal experience. Conviction. He knows. Just a few short years before The Apprentice, Donald Trump was in a massive hole. A real estate collapse had left him nearly a billion dollars in debt. In front of the whole, wide, laughing world, the cocky, famous Donald J. Trump was knocked to his knees, and almost knocked out of the game.
But he fought his way back. It was a growth period, he would later write: “I learned a lot about myself during these hard times; I learned about handling pressure. I was able to home in, buckle down, get back to the basics, and make things work. I worked much harder, I focused, and I got myself out of a box. Don’t get me wrong — there were moments of doubt, but I never thought in negative terms.”
By the time he ran for president, Donald Trump was far more successful than he’d ever been. In this hour, Trump’s past successes serve the country well. He wrote The Art of the Deal, and boy do we need a wheeler and dealer right now.
But Donald Trump also wrote The Art of the Comeback. And boy, will we need that very soon.
Donald Trump could not have imagined during those moments of doubt that his time in the valley would be used to serve the nation. He didn’t know it. But God did.
It’s a lesson we can all embrace: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream and co-author, with @JZmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl. And if you aren’t already, please follow The Stream at @Streamdotorg.
