AP Photo Members Only Why Donald Trump Has the Temperament to Be President

Rep. Duncan Hunter is a Republican congressman from California.

For Donald Trump, the latest recurring question around his candidacy—incited by the liberal left and parroted by even some Republicans—is whether he has the right temperament to be Commander in Chief.

With Trump, what you see is what you get. Through the course of the campaign, that’s been one of his greatest attributes and it explains why so many Americans, tired of politics as usual, are rallying behind him.


What is so hard for Trump’s detractors to grasp is that what they don’t like about Donald Trump has nothing to do with temperament—he’s got it. He’s proved over the course of his highly successful business career that he’s got all the right qualities as a leader and a visionary.

What they really don’t like is his style—and they’re purposefully conflating the two.

Trump is not some uncontrollable misfit who just happened to stumble on the Republican nomination for President. Intuitively, he’s applied his savvy business sense to the art of politics and in doing so he decimated a deep bench of Republican hopefuls. His victory cannot be ascribed to luck, but rather an innate and unmatchable ability to focus on the shortcomings of his opponents and brand only the way Trump can.

The regular incorporation of Trump-isms, from “Make America Great Again,” to “Corrupt Hillary,” continue to resonate. His latest statement, branding President Barack Obama as the founder of the Islamic State, repeats a true but unspoken belief that’s held within military circles that the President’s foreign policy and abandonment of Iraq is responsible for the growth of the Islamic State and the territory it holds.

No doubt this offends the liberal base and its allies in the media. They’re not used to it. They can’t process it. And Trump’s comments regarding the Islamic State, underscoring the President’s failed foreign policy, is proof. So the immediate reaction is to describe this comment, no different than others, as reckless and as an indictment on Trump’s temperament. It’s not.

More so, it’s an abandonment of political correctness. Through that directness, he bruises the egos of the political and academic elites, and speaks to the heart and soul of hard working Americans in a way they comprehend. That’s why it’s so effective. Trump talks as regular Americans often do. They don’t articulate like Mitt Romney or President Obama, and they are not skilled at speaking out both sides of the mouth the same way many politicians do.

But don’t confuse this for a lack of temperament. Trump is a businessman first—not a politician. He’s amassed immense personal wealth. He’s actually created jobs, not just talked about it. And he knows better than anyone else about the art of negotiating and deal-making.

His comments on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization are a testament to that artfulness. NATO, despite its cold war origin, is sure to remain a pillar in the realm of U.S. foreign policy, but Trump is doing what President Barack Obama or his predecessor couldn’t. He’s making a compelling case for NATO allies to do their part and shoulder more of the global security burden—risking U.S. support and protection if they don’t.

Ask the defense establishment and they’ll say he’s threatening to upend an international alliance that’s a centerpiece of global security. They’ll advocate for the status quo. They may even say Trump is dangerous. It’s all nonsense.

Trump, in actuality, is showcasing his ability to negotiate and how he’d compel our allies to do more in the collective interest—and that starts with a greater commitment to NATO. It’s one example of his temperament where critics excoriated him for being careless.

Expect the same approach on the economy. Trump cut his teeth in boardrooms and amid business deals that involved hundreds of millions of his own dollars, if not billions of dollars. Taxpayers are sure to receive the same care and attention with their money on the line. With Trump’s reputation and credibility consistently at stake, he’s always found a way to come out on top. Americans are eager for that same stewardship with their own tax dollars and a golden touch to match.

But maybe the greatest evidence of Trump’s temperament is reflected in the quality and strong character of his children. Trump is an excellent father and role model to his sons and daughters. He has their respect and admiration and in turn they have his trust. It’s a strong indicator that reveals true traits and values.

In Presidential contests, character and temperament have always been issues of intrigue. This campaign is no different. President George W. Bush experienced it, so did President Obama. Trump is facing attacks of his own, in this case regarding his temperament, but those launching the attacks, to include some Republicans, really just take issue with him personally. Why not be truthful and say, “I just don’t like the guy.”

Trump has charisma and backbone. He’s got a world view that is consistent with reality. And he’s worked and excelled in a competitive industry for his entire adult life.

Like it or not, Trump has the right temperament to be President.