President Donald Trump has been the cause of many controversies, from the travel ban which prevents people from getting visas who live in Muslim-majority countries, to the many Russian controversies that continue to brew as the Mueller investigation–the investigation on Russia’s meddling in the election that has indicted 32 people and three businesses–progresses. Most recently, however, attention around the Trump Administration has come from a New York Times article. “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration,” an anonymous opinion editorial, was published on September 5 of this year.
This op-ed states there are people in the Trump Administration who are aware of Trump’s “leadership style, which is impetuous, adversarial, petty and ineffective,” along with his “misguided impulses.” These people, the article says, “have been cast as villains by the media. But in private, they have gone to great lengths to keep bad decisions contained to the West Wing, though they are clearly not always successful.”
This part of the article is quite concerning. Boiled down, the article conveys that the Trump Administration does not trust the President to make choices for the greater good of the country, and instead, makes rash decisions such as going on inappropriate, unprofessional Twitter rants and threatening dangerous dictators with his “nuclear button” he claims to have on his desk, though he says it is “much bigger & more powerful.” Because of this, the many people who work with President Trump try to just calm him down and ensure many of his ideas don’t leave the White House. What the Administration is doing to help with this is simply not enough, especially considering the job of the White House Administration.
Section four of the 25th Amendment of the United States Constitution states, “Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide” agree that the President is unfit to perform his duties, they shall go to the House of Representatives and the Senate and, giving their “written declaration,” must inform them the President is not carrying out his duties. Upon this action, the Vice President will be put into office. Why then, anonymous author(s), has the 25th Amendment not been put into motion? The article published in the New York Times clearly reads, “It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room. We fully recognize what is happening. And we are trying to do what’s right even when Donald Trump won’t.” Although this may be consolation for some, it only enrages others.
The duty of the White House Administration in times like this is stated in the 25th Amendment. It is no longer just a “far left,” as President Trump would say, idea that the President is unfit for his job. The President is supposed to act as the voice of the people. Those many consider to be the greatest Presidents–John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and a few others–earned their place by speaking up for people who needed it. Putting forth a ban on Muslim-majority countries is nothing less than racist and bigoted. When the White House Administration is noticing the President’s inability to serve this country, it is their job to take action. Quite frankly, this article is disappointing; and although made to console the public and let them know people inside are aware of Trump’s foolishness, the article only proves the White House Administration is failing to do their job.
Sadly, America will face bigoted ugliness no matter who finishes Trump’s presidency: Donald Trump or Michael Pence. In many ways, Mike Pence is much worse. Vice President Pence has been very vocal about his religion, which there is absolutely nothing wrong with. However, this becomes a problem when one pushes their religion onto others; and Pence is guilty of this. Mike Pence has, on multiple occasions, voiced that he backs gay conversion therapy while also promoting an amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. Not just this, but an article titled “Mike Pence Has Led The Fight Against Reproductive Rights For Half A Decade,” published by the Huffington Post, states Pence sponsored a bill that would make it legal for any hospital to deny a pregnant woman an abortion–even if she would die without it. The only exception, he said, to this bill would be in the case of a “forcible rape;” and in case someone is confused, yes, all rape is forced.
Although Trump is an ignorant and bigoted individual and a mess of a President, Mike Pence in office as the President would be an absolute nightmare for not only rights for the LGBTQ+ community, but also for women’s rights. It is still quite upsetting that the White House Administration is not doing their constitutional duty to the country, but they may be doing the country a favor: keeping us safe from the reign of Mike Pence.
