The way President Trump treats the United States suggests he sees it more like something he owns personally than a nation he was elected to lead. His approach to leadership resembles a man managing a private resort where public good carries no weight.
From how he behaves, one can tell he believes the country belongs to him alone, with no duty to anyone else. He acts with no sense of duty or service to the population. The decisions he makes often seem rushed, messy, and without direction, and this carelessness comes across as an insult to the people he is meant to serve.
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Think about what kind of mindset it takes to make choices that endanger the same people who gave you power. How do you casually damage their income through trade measures or send their children into battle just to improve your image on television?
A Presidency Without Public Accountability
Trump’s approach is far from the idea that leaders should serve. His message instead could be something like, “Don’t ask what you can do for your country. Ask how you can serve me.”
What this behavior reveals is a deep disregard for accountability. He seems to reject the idea that elected leaders must answer to the people. He operates with the belief that he can do whatever he wants without facing consequences, especially now that he has the backing of the highest court in the land in some cases.
In one situation, Tricia McLaughlin, a senior official in the Department of Homeland Security, explained to The Los Angeles Times that immigration agents acted based on their training, used just enough force to resolve the situation, and placed the suspect in ICE custody.
There was also discussion around why officers wore masks. According to Todd Lyons, who is the acting director of ICE, the face coverings were for safety and to prevent their identities from being exposed.
He wrote to The Washington Post claiming that officers have faced a 413 percent increase in physical attacks. However, no proof has been provided to support that claim.
By allowing ICE agents to cover their faces and avoid responsibility, the administration has set a troubling example. Trump’s push for unchecked freedom in government has reduced the meaning of serving the public.
Everyone working in public service, from the president down to immigration officers, should understand that their authority comes with responsibility. They are supposed to act in ways that reflect concern for the people and be willing to face the consequences when their actions go wrong.
But what Trump has done is to flip that understanding. He has taken the worst parts of how past leaders avoided consequences and pushed them to a level where accountability almost does not exist. The difference between leading and ruling is defined by responsibility, and Trump prefers to rule.
