The Trump administration’s recent actions have cast a harsh spotlight on a presidency defined by self-interest, selective compassion, and a troubling departure from the values that once defined America’s global and domestic leadership. From a racially charged refugee policy to a foreign policy steeped in personal gain, and domestic decisions that prioritize the wealthy over the vulnerable, the administration’s choices reveal a moral void at the heart of its governance. As the United States grapples with these challenges, the need for a return to principled leadership has never been more urgent.
A Refugee Policy Rooted in Bias
This week, the Trump administration made a stark and controversial decision on refugee admissions. It halted entries for those fleeing unimaginable horrors in war-torn regions like Sudan and Congo, as well as Afghan interpreters who risked their lives alongside U.S. troops. Yet, in a glaring exception, 59 White South African Afrikaners descendants of European settlers who ruled during apartheid were welcomed at Dulles International Airport with open arms. Christopher Landau, the State Department’s deputy, greeted them as “quality seeds” who would “blossom” in America, invoking language that echoes the eugenics movement’s chilling rhetoric of racial purity. Landau, whose Jewish family fled Nazi persecution, justified the exception by citing vague claims of “egregious persecution” and “genocide” against Afrikaners, despite evidence that no land has been seized under South Africa’s expropriation laws and that Black South Africans face even higher levels of violence in a country long plagued by crime.
This selective policy sparked outrage, prompting the Episcopal Church, under Presiding Bishop Sean W. Rowe, to withdraw from the U.S. refugee resettlement program. Rowe decried the preferential treatment of one group over others who have languished in refugee camps or faced mortal danger for years, including those who served U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It has been painful to watch one group of refugees, selected in a highly unusual manner, receive preferential treatment,” Rowe wrote, calling for prayers for the vetted refugees denied entry. The policy’s racial undertones are hard to ignore, undermining America’s legacy as a haven for the oppressed and raising questions about the administration’s commitment to fairness.
A Foreign Policy of Greed and Flattery
On the global stage, Trump’s Middle East trip further exposed a leadership style that prioritizes personal gain over democratic ideals. In Saudi Arabia, a promised “major foreign policy address” devolved into a self-aggrandizing spectacle, filled with attacks on his predecessor and effusive praise for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom U.S. intelligence has linked to the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump called MBS an “incredible man” and “your greatest representative,” even announcing the lifting of sanctions on Syria’s government led by a former al-Qaeda affiliate at the prince’s request. His praise extended to other autocrats, including China’s Xi Jinping and Yemen’s Houthi leaders, whom he described as “very strong, very powerful” with a “very good relationship” with him. Rather than promoting democracy, Trump used the trip to complain about American elections, falsely claiming the 2020 contest was “rigged.”
Trump’s obsession with luxury was also on display, as he pushed for a $400 million Boeing 747 from Qatar, arguing that the current Air Force One is “much less impressive.” The deal, reportedly greenlit by Attorney General Pam Bondi, a former Qatar lobbyist, has drawn criticism even from some MAGA supporters, with commentator Ben Shapiro calling it “skeezy.” Trump’s defense that the plane would go to the Air Force, not him was misleading, as it is slated for his presidential library. This focus on personal extravagance stands in stark contrast to the struggles of millions, both at home and abroad, who rely on U.S. aid and leadership.
Domestic Policies That Punish the Vulnerable
Back in Washington, the administration’s domestic agenda reflects a similar lack of empathy. House Republicans, advancing Trump’s tax package, have proposed slashing $715 billion from health care, primarily Medicaid, which would leave 10.3 million people without coverage and 7.6 million uninsured. An additional $290 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) threatens to gut nearly a third of the food stamp program, while a new 5% tax on international money transfers targets immigrant families sending support to loved ones abroad. Even some Republicans, like Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, have called the Medicaid cuts “morally wrong,” yet hardline voices like Rep. Andy Harris of the Freedom Caucus argue they don’t go far enough.
The administration’s health and homeland security policies further underscore this disconnect. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to spread dangerous misinformation about vaccines, downplaying their safety amid a measles outbreak with over 1,000 cases. His baseless claims about “fetal debris” in vaccines and their supposed lack of testing endanger public health. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has shown indifference to the fate of Andry José Hernández Romero, a gay Salvadoran makeup artist deported to a prison without due process, dismissing questions about his survival as outside her purview. These actions reflect a leadership team that seems unconcerned with the human cost of its decisions.
A Pattern of Deception and Enrichment
The administration’s promises whether on trade, health care, or government efficiency consistently overpromise and underdeliver. Trump’s claims of historic trade deals with the UK and China have been exposed as modest at best, with The Wall Street Journal noting “scant sign of the substantial trade deals” he touts. His retreat on tariffs has yielded little, with Walmart warning of price hikes even at reduced tariff levels. The U.S. DOGE Service, once heralded as saving up to $2 trillion, has been scaled back to a fraction of the revised $170 billion estimate, with many government functions quietly reinstated. Trump’s executive order on prescription drug prices, promised to cut costs by 30% to 80%, mirrors a failed effort from his first term that was struck down by courts and abandoned.
Meanwhile, Trump’s inner circle reaps disproportionate rewards. Trump Media, parent of Truth Social, paid its CEO, Devin Nunes, $47.6 million despite the company’s meager $3.6 million revenue. In Riyadh, Trump ally Shahal Khan secured $15 billion in Saudi investments for his business, highlighting a pattern of personal enrichment amid public hardship. These schemes stand in sharp contrast to the administration’s cuts to programs that support the most vulnerable Americans.
A Threat to Democratic Norms
The administration’s disregard for democratic principles is equally alarming. Top aide Stephen Miller has suggested suspending habeas corpus if courts rule against Trump, while the solicitor general has questioned the administration’s obligation to follow appellate court rulings. Trump’s lawyers have argued for expansive emergency powers, prompting a Reagan-appointed judge to warn of their limitless scope. The administration’s assault on free thought cutting $450 million in grants to Harvard University to punish its resistance to interference and on the environment planning to abolish Energy Star, California’s emissions standards, and limits on “forever chemicals” in water further erodes the public good.
A Call for Moral Renewal
The Founders envisioned leaders of “ability and virtue,” as Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 68, yet Trump’s presidency tests that ideal to its breaking point. His administration’s actions from favoring wealthy White refugees to fawning over autocrats, slashing aid for the poor, and undermining democratic norms reflect a leadership unmoored from compassion and accountability. America’s greatness has always been tied to its goodness: its willingness to shelter the persecuted, uphold justice, and lead with integrity. Today, that legacy hangs in the balance.
What’s needed now is a moral reckoning a return to leadership that prioritizes the vulnerable, respects the rule of law, and speaks honestly to the challenges we face. Until then, we must pray not only for the refugees turned away at our borders but for a nation that has lost its moral compass. The path forward lies in reclaiming the values that once made America a beacon of hope, ensuring that our leaders reflect the best of us, not the worst.
