Three years ago in June, I drove into Midtown Minterview_with_donald_trump_unbowed_781711.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>anhattinterview_with_donald_trump_unbowed_781711.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>an, scaled a building, interview_with_donald_trump_unbowed_781711.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>and was whisked into a corner department to conduct , interview_with_donald_trump_unbowed_781711.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>an , interview , with the highest-profile area of my job.
Former President Donald Trump was sitting at a table in the eponymous building where his doubtful and truly British transition from real estate mogul to Television star to world-historical figure may take place.
The topic of conversation that day was Trump’s China coverage. But after the interview, I was moved to a deeper, more profound insight that, while perhaps not all in the minds of the 2024 presidential election, should remain.
It’s that we live in a dangerous universe comprised of many opponents who wish to complete us grave injury — regimes led by and dominant armies of frauds, murderers, thieves, and thugs. Finally, one gentleman, our commander-in-chief, stands above all others between America and these malicious causes. There is no greater distinctive barrier to calamity than an invitation to it.
Make the right choice in a commander-in-chief, and he will keep our enemies at sea. Make the wrong decision, and battle, chaos, and misery may be our lot.
A government’s greatest duty, and the region over which he can exercise by far the greatest impact, comes in protecting American life and limb from the threats that are facing us, is as crucial as are the different issues that are likely to prevail in the minds of voters, from the economy and immigration to free speech.
The former leader made a crucial point about how he handled our enemies during our conversation. Trump was plainly undeterred to give American blood and treasure in war that would never come.
However, the former president made it clear to his foreign rivals that there would be unfathomable hell to spend, including for themselves and their most valued interests, if those foes crossed certain tactical red lines, he told me. Trump had publicly information some of these interactions. Despite being of the highest importance, they have generally gone unreported and underappreciated, in my opinion.
We may say that the Trump doctrine’s key tenet was that he would not seek out monsters to kill him. But if those villains rear their ugly faces, he warned, he’d be more than prepared to weather MOABs down upon them — only for beginners.
I think that Trump properly stared our enemies down as a result of this attitude and the Trump administration’s show that it would make good on such threats by using overwhelming, disproportionate power in limited situations and a slew of policies to support both the language and military actions. They would always be limited by the fear of ominous reprisals if they violated America’s and our interests. They would have to take the risk of catastrophe into account a minimum. Trump’s unorthodoxy and lack of predictability likely only added to our adversaries ‘ dissuasion.
The pudding contained the Trump doctrine’s justification. Russia did not invade Ukraine. Iran and its proxies waged no seven-front war against Israel, nor did they threaten America’s servicemen and interests, nor those of our allies and partners in the region. Foreign enemies, including the Chinese Communist Party, jihadist organizations, and transnational criminal organizations, did not overrun and rob us of our territory.
The approaches and records on national security and foreign policy may well indicate the most significant differences between the Trump and Biden-Harris administrations. The gap between the two sides — overwhelmingly in Trump’s favor — was entirely , predictable and predicted.
If you want to have peace, you must show that you have the willingness and capability not only to go to war but to truly win it, to swiftly, decisively, and mercilessly crush the enemy. There is no substitute for strength, resolve, and victory.
Our enemies have been on the march under the Obama-Biden-Harris foreign policy that predominated both before and after Trump, not only because our leaders lack the will to stop them, but because they believe in appeasing if not actively supporting and enabling them, believing one can bribe the crocodiles into eating us last or, worse, that our enemies are n’t crocodiles at all.
Trump effectively fomented war through weakness, if not downright treachery, while Obama-Biden-Harris effectively fomented war through strength. The establishment for national security and foreign policy conspired to support the latter, which should give Americans serious pause. In fact, it might suggest the need to elect those who will override the country’s security and foreign policy apparatus and make sure it is responsive to the needs of the American people.
This year we will vote for many different reasons, some philosophical, others political, and still others personal. But when it comes to voting for president, Americans should remember that above all other duties, a commander-in-chief’s most important one, and the one over which he has the greatest control, is keeping us safe in a dangerous world.
On that account, the record is clear about who will stand up to America’s enemies and who will fall before them.
This article was originally published on the author’s Substack.
Ben Weingarten is editor at large for RealClearInvestigations. He is a senior contributor to The Federalist, columnist at Newsweek, and a contributor to the New York Post and Epoch Times, among other publications. Subscribe to his newsletter at weingarten. substack .com, and follow him on Twitter: @bhweingarten.