In 1513 Niccolo Machiavelli wrote a short book titled The Prince. In it he counsels a young prince who unexpectedly ascends to the throne on how to handle himself and the affairs of state. The essence of Machiavelli’s counsel is do whatever you must to accumulate power, stay in power, and no matter how dastardly your plans and deeds, always try to look virtuous. Tragically, a wealth of evidence suggests that President Trump has been Machiavellian to the core. He has masterfully employed deception, manipulation and deceit to appear virtuous and have the best interest of the American people at heart, while acting in his own self-interest.
One clear example of Trump’s Machiavellian character was how he used funds from a charitable foundation for his presidential campaign. Instead of being a benefactor to those in need, Trump used donations made to his foundation to benefit himself. In 2019, a federal judge ordered the dissolution of the Trump Foundation and ordered Trump to pay $2 million in fines.
Another manipulation of charitable giving relates to land Trump purchased. Over the last 15 years, Trump wrote off the full value of several properties he bought for $119 million, by donating to charity an agreement not to develop them. Trump had already “shelved development plans” for those properties, but was able to cast himself as a philanthropist, when in reality, he was using the tax code to enrich himself.
Trump also tried to construct a noble persona while monetizing his presidency, by donating his salary to charity, while reaping substantial payments for room rentals. During his presidency Trump properties billed the government $2.5 million for stays at his properties, and in 2016 and 2018 Trump properties charged his presidential campaign over $14 million.
Perhaps the most consequential exercises of self-interest Trump took were in the area of healthcare. In 2017 Trump and Republicans succeeded in maligning Obamacare to the point that they not only cheered for themselves as they neared rescinding it, but persuaded tens of millions to cheer with them. Trump knew he’d be canceling healthcare for 23 million people without a replacement plan, but did it anyway.
More nuanced was Trump’s manipulation of the “individual mandate”. By eliminating the tax penalty for not having health insurance, in 2019 alone, one million people dropped their health insurance. The problem is those who dropped out were healthy, leaving the remaining pool less healthy on average and more expensive to insure. Health insurance premiums for every other American went up by roughly 10% because of this. Trump succeeded in driving up the cost of Obamacare, making it easier to say the program wasn’t working and needed to be replaced, all under the guise of providing freedom to live however you wish.
Most cruel of all was Trump’s choice to play down the risks of Covid. While he stated he wanted to protect us from panicking, I submit he wanted to keep the economy going and his re-election prospects alive. Tragically, Trump also tried to create a personal image of strength by not wearing a mask, leading many of his followers to do likewise. Trump then went on to hold large campaign rallies, trying to cast himself a winner, without hesitating to put tens of thousands of his supporter at risk.
Throughout history, starting with the time the serpent first beguiled Eve, nothing has proven more destructive than when selfish, callous men masquerade as benevolent.
Tragically, all evidence suggests Trump has masterfully exploited needs and weaknesses within our country to his advantage, leaving a trail of destruction that will ripple for years to come. As Trump drags his feet conceding, stymies a new administration, and entertains a possible 2024 bid to keep his base engaged and other contenders at bay, I most sincerely hope his supporters will pause and consider the evidence above. To heal the fabric of our land we need all Americans to put the turmoil of the past election behind of us and begin the long difficult task of rebuilding.