Donald Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee for president. Not only is he miles ahead of all of his rivals in the polls -- even in Iowa, which he lost in 2016 -- but he is also leading President Joe Biden in several national and swing-state polls.
That doesn't mean he is guaranteed to win, but it does mean he is "electable." Still, as a Republican and a conservative, I have some lingering questions about Trump and about what a second Trump presidency might mean for our country and for the world.
The first question is whether Trump can put the country ahead of his quest for personal redemption. In the past, he was able to argue that the personal lined up with the political. "My whole life I’ve been greedy. ... But now I want to be greedy for the United States," he said in 2016.
Now he is angry -- and he has every right to be, after the way the 2020 election was handled, and after Democrats abused the justice system, at every level, to punish him and his supporters. But can Trump look past that anger?
He doesn't seem able to -- at least not yet.
In recent days, Trump and his aides have talked about prosecuting journalists and going after the "Biden crime family." Is that really necessary? Cancel the security clearance of the 50 remaining intelligence officials (John Brennan's was already revoked) who signed a fraudulent letter portraying the Hunter Biden laptop as Russian disinformation.
But Joe Biden is facing an impeachment inquiry and Hunter Biden is facing indictment. Do we need more?
The second, and related, question is whether he can set personal differences aside for the sake of American foreign policy and national security.
Trump seems to believe -- erroneously -- that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to congratulate Biden in 2020 (he was one of the last). He resents Bibi, and he mocked Israel's leaders, including defense minister Yoav Gallant, after the October 7 attack. Trump might have been right, but the timing could not have been more wrong.
Third: this "dictator" business. Trump's critics claim he would be a dictator, and they cite the January 6 riot, erroneously casting it as an attempt to overthrow the Constitution, rather than as an attempt (however misguided) to enforce it. Trump rolled with it, telling Sean Hannity that he would be a "dictator" only on the first day, when he would (legally) sign executive orders to enforce the border and drill for oil.
That's less than the new democratically-elected leader of Argentina, Javier Milei, did on his first day in office, when he (legally) threw out more than half of the government departments. But the embrace of the term "dictator" is odd.
Trump's left-wing critics have little grounds for complaint: from Barack Obama to Tom Friedman of the New York Times, they have admired China's dictatorship, even dreaming of dictatorial powers for a day so they could impose their socialist policies on an unwilling populace. Yet loose talk about authoritarian rule is the last thing this deeply divided, fearful nation needs right now.
Fourth, there is the question of who would work in a second Trump administration.
Trump came into office in 2017 with a small team, after the Republican establishment shunned him. But somehow, bitter opponents found their way into his White House -- many of whom later betrayed him. In other cases, Trump fell out with aides and appointees who had been loyal and effective.
We need to know if there is anyone left, and available, who is both competent and independent-minded -- loyal, but not sycophantic.
Finally, we need to know if Trump is going to get serious about the unfulfilled promises of term one: building the wall; enforcing the immigration laws; reining in the power of Big Tech; and draining the swamp in Washington. Whatever else January 6 was, it was a bad plan, poorly executed. Has Trump learned how to do the hard things? As a lame duck, unable to run for a third term, he will have fewer constraints -- but also less leverage.
These are questions the Trump team needs to learn how to answer, and soon.
This is the final edition of THE AGENDA -- finished a few days early!
This week's portion elucidates some of the first laws and principles of the Torah that follow the Ten Commandments, including -- a message particularly relevant to freed slaves -- the Jewish restrictions on indentured servitude.
God also provides the basic civil laws of Jewish society, governing almost every area of life -- in this one portion! -- as well as several basic principles of faith and religious observance. Moses then ascends Sinai for 40 days.
One of the laws God gives is the law against taunting a foreigner. This is different from allowing people to enter your land illegally; it is about showing respect, however, for people from other lands and other groups.
I am reminded of the importance of this principle because of the rhetoric lately attacking Elon Musk, a fellow South African-turned-American, for his foreign roots -- often by people who favor illegal immigration, ironically.
...
Since the Palisades Fire on January 7, my posts have been fairly sparse. I have just been so busy -- fighting the fire, covering the fire, helping neighbors, and launching a new podcast, "Three Homeless Guys," with two local friends.
Things are up and down. My family is still displaced, and we haven't resolved our living situation. We are awaiting answers from the insurance company (State Farm) on what they will cover, including alternative living expenses.
There are some incredible opportunities opening up -- more on that later -- and our kids are generally doing well, though this has been hard for them as well (especially the two middle kids, who miss their friends and their house).
The emotion of it all hit me yesterday. Today I feel wrung out. But I also feel that, in a way, going through the fire has been a process of refinement, of re-casting in a new mould, to face new challenges. And to win each new day.
So much to talk about, once again, as the Trump administration continues at breakneck pace. From DOGE chewing through the federal bureaucracy, to Marco Rubio heading out on his first missions for Trump, there's so much...
Special guests:
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio -- on the L.A. fires and reforming CA insurance
Matt Boyle -- Breitbart News political editor, on DOGE and confirmations
Jamie Paige -- founder of the Westside Current, on L.A. politics and the fires
Frances Martel -- Breitbart News foreign editor, on Rubio and Russia/Ukraine
Rob Hersov -- South African commentator, on SA's fight with the White House
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call in: 866-957-2874
