The Courage of Donald J. Trump

A model for defiance and determination

In the current climate of incivility noted in social discourse which has been at least influenced by social media, it’s hard to talk about politics.

And I don’t want to talk about politics. I respectfully submit this article on courage, NOT as a political post, but as a character study. The subject of my study is President Donald J. Trump.

Although he is a highly polarizing political figure, he is NOT, by his own admission, a politician. He is businessman and a leader, but he is NOT a politician. This may be one of the (many) reasons, he struggled to gain his footing during his firm term in office as the 45^th President of the United States. But this time around, he seems to have hit a stride.

Before all of this, he may have had name recognition with me, but I knew very little about the man other than he had a successful television show (which I never saw), called “The Apprentice.”

I didn’t vote for him in our first Virginia primary. I voted for Ben Carson. But once he was the party nominee, I started watching him more closely. By the time he had won the election in 2016, I was sold on his policies and ideologies. That is more politics than character analysis. What I didn’t expect, however, was how I would come to view the man himself.

I have been duly impressed and appreciative of the courage he has shown during these last ten years. In my life, I have never seen a man, in any arena, demonstrate such unwavering courage and determination.

His own definition of courage is sufficient:

“Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the ability to act effectively, in spite of fear.”

Running for office, was not a power grab for him. It would in no way enrich the lives of his family; only endanger them all. It would be a sacrifice. He stepped into an arena….like being thrown to wolves….to fight for a righteous cause: The very soul of America. Hyperbole? I don’t think so. The division this country faces between political ideologies is as stark as light and darkness. The battle is real. He left behind the comforts of a thriving business empire and a clear path to retirement with a future life of leisure. He had NOTHING to gain by running for office. Perhaps, if he’d understood the depths of depravity in our government, affectionately referred to as the SWAMP, he may have reconsidered his decision; but I don’t think so.

And the enemies of this great republic who had profited for so long off the wealth of this nation and its peoples wasted no time in trying to bring him down:

• Russian Hoax

• Sham Impeachments

• Use of lawfare against him when he was a political opponent

• Possibly the theft of an election that he rightfully won

• A biased and bought legacy media that threw all of their weight into canceling and silencing his messaging.

• Gagging his free speech

• 2 assassination attempts (that we know about!)

• Restricting his liberties

That’s an initial list. This was a full assault against a man who stood, mostly alone, in the face of sheer evil. I don’t believe any of us, outside his family, could possibly understand the weight of that battery and betrayal he bore. Certainly, I can’t think of another person that I know of, who could have withstood that kind of relentless attack.

It does, however, seem somewhat similar to that assault that Jesus faced from the religious leaders and for all the same reasons: Jesus was cutting into their business with a righteous cause that would take their power away.

The television series, “The Chosen” has given us several wonderful seasons of watching Jesus’ teachings begin to stir the pot of the political/religious empire of the day. They are getting ready to launch season 5 and the religious establishment will be fully mobilized to destroy him. In the end, Jesus would stand, very much alone, to face his captors and tormentors and evil would (seem to) win.

Trump is NO Jesus, but in my lifetime, I have never seen anyone take such abuse with an unwavering commitment to his cause. For the first time in my life, I have had someone to point to and say, there is a man of courage. That is what courage looks like. As a man myself, it’s been an inspiration to witness. As a father, that is what I tell my sons.

Perhaps one of the most profound moments in this voyeuristic journey I’ve taken watching President Trump over the last ten years was the indelible image from the assassination attempt on his life.

On July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, an assailant attempted to shoot Trump. Despite sustaining a graze wound to his right ear, Trump remained composed. After ensuring the situation was under control, he stood before the crowd, raised his fist, and mouthed "Fight! Fight! Fight!", displaying defiance and courage in the face of danger.

This was NOT a photo op.

None of it was staged. (Well, at least not by Trump.)

Like all moments of greatness, it is the moment itself that reveals the character that has been long established within. Trump not only rose to his feet that day, he rose up like a phoenix out of the ashes.

Not since Theodore Roosevelt has a president or presidential candidate provided such an image of strength and toughness as the President did on that day, mere seconds after a bullet skimmed his ear. It may even be said that that moment sealed the presidential election of 2024.

I have found courage easy to define, but very hard to point to. The image of a bloodied Trump with his raised fist is a perfect encapsulation of how people want to be inspired by their leaders. We have a natural desire to feel like those who lead us are the best of us, and it is a fact of human nature that we project our hopes and feelings for the future onto our leaders, exalting them above the rest of us.

Even now, newly elected and less than a month into his second term as President, Trump continues to defy the political establishment and world order. Coming off a strong election victory, he clearly is emboldened by the mandate he has been given by the American people. In his inauguration address, he stood in front of (most of) the people who want him eliminated and reiterated the very things he promised American during the campaign. Things like:

• He declared the government would recognize two genders: Males and Females.

• He declared that ILLEGAL immigration promoted by the previous administration would stop immediately and criminal offenders would be gathered up and sent back to their countries of origin.

• The war on energy would stop and the new slogan would become “Drill baby, Drill!”

• Women would not be allowed to compete in men’s sports.

• DOGE would commence looking at all spending in federal agency to seek wasteful spending.

There is much more. The people who caused these problems to begin with were sitting directly behind him. It reminded me of John the Baptist telling Herod that he had sinned by marrying his brother, Phillip’s, wife. We all know how that ended.

I always wondered how the men (and women) of Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter of the Bible, would have responded when they faced the most trying of situations recorded in that chapter; stories that earned them the recognition they received as members of the Hall of Faith. Now, I see it.

You may not agree with his New York style of his all-business-mindset,, nor his less than statesman like qualities. But you can’t deny the courage of Donald J. Trump. He’s someone, I believe, we can point to and tell our boys, “That’s what courage looks like.”