Q&A of the Day – Part 3 Where does President Trump rank historically?
Bottom Line: Continuing with the evaluation of Post-World War II Presidents...
- Trump (9)
Defense: Outstanding – 5 – While President Trump and President Reagan’s personalities and approach were vastly different, their handling of defense and national security measures was similar. President Trump authorized highly successful missions to crush the ISIS caliphate during his earliest months in office making the US and entire world safer. His administration featured a net de-escalation of military conflict around with world, with fewer troops deployed today, than on the day of his inauguration. He reached historic peace deals in the middle-east with the Abraham Accords as Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates now recognize Israel for the first time in history. This after he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moved the US embassy there as well. President Trump successfully built over 400 miles of border wall, prioritizing the highest impact areas which contributed to a greater than 50% decline in illegal immigration at our Southern Border last year. All of this doesn’t include discussion of the Space Force or the Afghan peace deal.
Economy: Good 4 – Had this been a year ago, prior to the pandemic, his economy would have been a 5. Prior to COVID, on back of massive tax cuts, the elimination of egregious regulations, and a renewed emphasis on trade deals with a focus on American manufacturing, his policies fueled a return to 3% economic growth, which most economists and former President Obama said was no longer possible. It led to record low unemployment rates for every minority group and record high wages for all Americans, regardless of demographics. Additionally, the stock market set a series of new record highs, despite the impact of the pandemic. The S&P 500 has averaged 17% annual appreciation during President Trump’s four years in office creating unprecedented prosperity for the greater than 50% of Americans who own stocks.
As I’ve evaluated all post World War 2 Presidents, here are the seven tiers of leaders I’ve identified:
- Ronald Reagan
- Tie: John F. Kennedy & Donald Trump
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Tie: Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford,
- Tie: Lyndon Johnson, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton
- George W. Bush
- Tie: Jimmy Carter & Barrack Obama
While one may question the point system I assigned, the underlying facts remain. Objectively President Trump was one of the most effective post-War War 2 presidents we’ve had and had it not been for the pandemic, we might be talking about a presidency which would have rivaled the success of Reagan’s.
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