Have you noticed that President Trump is sounding, well, less Trump-y lately? Sure, he still tweets about Hillary Clinton and his thoughts of the day, but he’s definitely shaded his rhetoric a bit. That’s a dangerous first step towards a moribund presidency and political no-man’s-land.
Even Democrats understand that the president is taking a different tone.
{mosads}The White House’s September 5th announcement that DACA would be ending was met with lamentations and wailing.
But then everything changed.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced a late night bargain with the president — DACA stays in exchange for border security without the wall. The White House’s version was a bit different, of course, but it sent shockwaves through the conservative soul.
Ann Coulter wants the president impeached. Iowa Congressman Steve King said no wall meant no 2020 for Trump. Lou Dobbs asked, “Who stole the White House?” Drudge led with a photo of Trump with the two Democrats laughing.
If you’re keeping score at home, the president’s been on a bit of a losing streak. Even his strong speech to the UN Tuesday at times sounded more Bushian than Jacksonian. We elected a person that echoed Ron Paul’s foreign policy assessments, not John Bolton’s or John Kerry’s. Trump earned high marks for his response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, but that has been the exception since Chief Strategist Steve Bannon exited the administration last month.
Bannon was Trump’s biggest tie to his own base. Sebastian Gorka, another populist favorite, is also gone. Their departures suggest that Trump is consciously shifting away from the agenda that got him elected, and towards a more moderate tone.
Just look at the people left in Trump’s inner circle — it’s mostly establishment-type Bush holdovers, Goldman Sachs bankers, and military leaders. Sure, John Kelly and H.R. McMaster have skills to bring to the table, but they certainly don’t represent the interests of the “deplorables,” who showed up at the polls in droves to vote for Trump last year.
There’s no two ways about it — there’s either populism or establishment in the White House. The farther Trump gets from his original goals, the more his base will wither. So far the deplorables have stuck with DJT through thick and thin. They expect the same from him.
These voters, as well as many blue-collar independents and even Democrats understood that political correctness puts blinders on real solutions. This sort of statist ideology led to bank bailouts, foreign misadventures, trillions in debt, and millions of illegal immigrants.
Trump was elected to be different. Almost 63 million Americans took the country’s destiny in their hands to break down and reconstruct D.C.
If Trump forces out the remaining Bannonites from the White House, he will transition into a generic Republican when we need one the least. Some would welcome the change. These are the same Republicans who hide whenever the president posts a new tweet or needs help in Congress.
There is little representation for “America First” populism left in the West Wing. Every White House needs some connection to the Establishment to get things done. However, getting rid of his ideological base lock, stock, and barrel will remove any chance for radical, positive change. If the Trump presidency becomes Dubya 2.0, nothing will change in his favor. Democrats will still hate him, personal animosity would remain, and his promises will be reminiscent of a bounced check.
With each passing personnel shift, the Donald Trump of the 2016 campaign trail fades just a little more. The populist bluster that propelled his rallies and gave hope to millions disillusioned with politics cannot simply fade away. Many Americans are enamored with Donald Trump. Many don’t like him at all but find solace in Trumpism.
Donald Trump is the one person that can ill-afford to get off the Trump Train.
Kristin Tate is a conservative columnist and author of the book “Government Gone Wild: How D.C. Politicians Are Taking You For a Ride And What You Can Do About It.” She was recently named one of NewsMax’s “30 Most Influential Republicans Under 30.” Follow her on Twitter @KristinBTate.