Trump Will Always Fail to Meet the Moment. It’s Up to Us to Fill the Moral Void
Where other US leaders attempted to heal America in the wake of political violence, Trump and his cronies have inflamed the country with alarming speed and zealotry.
Since the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk, politicians of good faith have implored Americans to shun violence and embrace peaceful democratic debate. As they should.
Unfortunately for everyone else, Donald Trump and members of his administration are not among them. If a staggered country can recover its moral balance, it will have to do so without the White House.
That is the grim reality of the United States in 2025. Trump’s twisted character cannot meet the moment.
History Offers Examples
In crises, we’ve always looked to national leaders for calm, reassurance, and unity. Presidents, in particular, use them to show they represent the entire country.
Kirk presented himself as a 21st-century counterpoint to Martin Luther King Jr., defending the interests of whites he deemed injured by societal changes following the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Kirk called the legislation “a mistake” and King a “bad guy.”
I’ll never forget King’s assassination in April 1968.