Welcome to the roller coaster - The Jewish Standard

The first 60 days of the Trump administration have been the most action-filled and tumultuous since FDR’s first 100 days in 1933. But the latter’s situational experimentation was in response to the most catastrophic depression in our history, with 25% unemployment. While Biden’s administration was largely a failure, with open borders and more than 20% inflation during his four years in office, due substantially to its policies, it still left President Trump with a relatively good economy. But our $36 trillion in debt, accumulated over past decades, is a ticking bomb.

Many of the Trump administration’s actions were positive. Border crossings are down over 90%, disproving the need for new legislation to close the border. Deregulation to contend with the over 100,000 pages of regulations is necessary to bolster entrepreneurship and investments. Ending the pause in exporting liquified natural gas was a salve for our European allies, who cut their natural gas pipeline from Russia. Eliminating DEI from the federal landscape was necessary as it became weaponized against individuals who were not of color, particularly Jews. And with its withdrawal of $400 million from Columbia, it sent the message that not addressing antisemitism strenuously will cost universities where it hurts the most: their wallets.

Regarding Israel, Trump has removed the Biden administration’s “handcuffs” in delivery of weapons and micromanaging Israel’s military tactics, which surely has lengthened the conflict and possibly cost the lives of some hostages. And his strong support for Israel on doing what’s necessary to prevent Iran going nuclear, even as massive sanctions are applied, particularly on its oil exports, is refreshing. The display of Israeli F35s and 15s accompanying B52 nuclear-armed strategic bombers was a strong message to Iran of the dire consequences it will face if it goes nuclear.

And yet there’s the sense that this administration is using a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel in much of its actions. In military terms, it’s “Ready, fire, and then aim.”

In forcing all federal employees, with the exception of those in national security, to decide to leave within 10 days with generous benefits, the offer did not exempt those more essential to running their agencies. By early February, 65,000 employees took advantage of this offer. Those close to retirement, who had institutional memories, or those with the best prospects for employment were the ones most likely to accept the offer. This defeated the goal of better management. Meanwhile, many employees were rehired because of the need for their expertise.

The most important issue that propelled the working class to vote for Trump was the cost of living. And yet almost immediately, Trump imposed tariffs on our best trading partners, Canada and Mexico. During his first administration, Trump replaced the NAFTA treaty with his own. But rather than giving our North American neighbors time to work out some of his concerns, Trump imposed tariffs. Then he delayed them, waived some products, and then reimposed them again. This whiplash is wreaking havoc with exporters and importers and on our stock portfolios. It’s comical to hear Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reverse Trump’s pronouncements hours or days later. This would be comical if the stakes for our economy and reputation for reliability weren’t so high.

Speaking of reliability, our pause in supplying weapons and real-time intelligence to Ukraine was unconscionable. Perhaps President Zelensky faltered in practicing the art of fealty to Trump by being too argumentative. But to punish him and his country was shameful. And the Russians took advantage by its extensive bombing shortly thereafter. Putin is laughing at us.

While Europe relied too much on America’s protective umbrella, ignoring their own militaries for too long, Trump is threatening NATO’s underpinning by his recent statement that he won’t invoke Article 5, promising mutual defense, to protect those countries that haven’t paid 2% of their GDP for defense. I guess Russia will then have an easy job to pinpoint its next target. After 80 years of preventing world war using the framework established by President Truman, Dean Acheson, and George Marshall through free trade, security, and Communist containment, the Atlantic alliance is weakening.

More and more of Trump’s behavior is conditioned by loyalty, fealty, and a transactional mindset, instead of one based on core values or principles. That’s why we see the crisis with Europe and our warming to Russia, which Trump wants to reinvite to the G-7.

This is very dangerous for Israel. I remember how Trump criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu when he congratulated Joe Biden on his election. What if there will be disagreements on the best approach toward Iran, Hamas, and Syria, for example? Will Trump’s desire to receive the Nobel peace prize incentivize him to make a deal even at the expense of Israel’s security or political prospects? Judging by his past actions in foreign policy, I become increasingly worried. And with Elon Musk’s millions in campaign largesse, Republicans who question this are worrying that they’ll face a well-funded primary opponent.

Welcome to the roller coaster.

Max Kleinman of Fairfield was the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest from 1995 to 2014. He is the president of the Fifth Commandment Foundation and consultant for the Jewish Community Legacy Project.

Opinion

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