Conservative Slams Trump for Acting Like Royalty

Conservative commentator Bill Kristol invoked the ‘older and simpler days’ of ‘republican virtue’ in a recent article for The Bulwark, criticizing former President Donald Trump for embodying the spirit of ‘old-world autocracy.’ Kristol reminisced about a time when the United States stood proud as a republic, distinct from the hereditary aristocracies and monarchies that once ruled the globe. He underscored this point by referencing passages from The Federalist Papers, authored by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay around 1787, which warned against the dangers of nobility, emoluments, and accepting gifts from kings.

Kristol’s primary example was Trump’s post on Truth Social, where he justified accepting a $400 million 747 aircraft from the Qatari royal family as a ‘gift’ for the U.S. Defense Department. Trump’s rhetoric, as Kristol saw it, epitomized old-world autocracy, dismissing those who uphold republican principles as fools and losers. Kristol sarcastically noted that Attorney General Pam Bondi, formerly a registered lobbyist for Qatar, had deemed the transaction legal under U.S. law and the Constitution.

The commentator urged Congress to debate the appropriateness of a U.S. president accepting gifts or emoluments from foreign entities, as outlined in The Federalist Papers. Kristol argued that the Founding Fathers intended for Congress to have the final say on such matters, implying that Trump’s actions aligned more with monarchical behavior than republican leadership.

In my opinion, Kristol raises valid concerns about the erosion of republican principles and the potential dangers of unchecked executive power. The acceptance of lavish gifts from foreign entities without proper scrutiny undermines the democratic values that the United States was founded upon. It is crucial for Congress to exercise its oversight responsibilities and ensure that the executive branch adheres to the constraints and requirements of republican government. The debate sparked by Kristol’s article highlights the importance of maintaining a balance of power and preventing the concentration of authority in the hands of a single individual.