Leap of faith: my sneaking admiration for Donald Trump
The US election has demonstrated defiance for democracy, Israel and old age
It’s finally over! In perhaps the most consequential election for the world today, Donald Trump will return to office as the 47th President of the United States of America in January 2025.
The traditional question: “Is it good for the Jews?” is arguably less important than three other matters from a Jewish perspective – democracy, the State of Israel, and age.
Donald Trump’s success at winning both the popular vote and the Electoral College vote – coupled with Republican gains in the Senate and the House of Representatives – demonstrates a result that is indisputable.
Even if you consider the personal life, language, views and policies of Donald Trump to be – let me put it generously – “unsavoury”, Trump’s achievement is impressive and he deserves recognition of his success and, more importantly, the good wishes of all who affirm democratic values.
Although Trump perhaps did much to undermine the democratic system, it has given him the result he campaigned for and it is imperative that his actions now strengthen it.
Democracy is not in itself a Jewish value (although the rabbis made decisions by majority vote), but it seems to me an undeniable historical truth that Jews and their interests are usually best served where liberal, democratic values underpinned by individual freedom are held in high regard.
Liberal democracy is common to the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the State of Israel, and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was one of the first world leaders to speak to Donald Trump after the election.
Trump appears, by his previous actions – including the moving of the American Embassy to Jerusalem, the sanctioning of the annexation of the Golan Heights, the encouragement of settlement building and the more creditable Abraham Accords with Arab nations – to share what might be described as a “maximalist right wing programme” concerning Israel.
However, Trump’s unpredictability and his expressed desire to end wars, particularly those supported by the dollars of American taxpayers, may yet challenge whomsoever governs Israel.
I confess a sneaking admiration for Donald Trump in one aspect: his apparent boundless energy. His initial opponent, the 81-year-old Joe Biden, has appeared positively tortoise-like as the 78-year-old Trump has crisscrossed the United States, speaking at more than 900 rallies.
I suspect the world is in for an interesting, turbulent couple of years with Donald Trump at the helm of the world’s most powerful nation. But, whether you are a fan or not, I suggest we must redouble our efforts in advocating for democratic values and human rights; we should promulgate and encourage the path of moderation and compromise in dealing with Israel and her neighbours; and we should delight in reminding ourselves that age is no barrier to whatever we wish to achieve.
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