Let me recap: long before Donald Trump put his hat in the ring as a US presidential candidate I was aware of this man and my impressions weren’t all that favourable. When he did announce, I like most was dismissive of his chances, yet I witnessed his growing popularity as an assorted band of discontented “deplorables” rallied to his cause, and him seeing off contenders from his own Republican party. It then became an effectively two way fight between him and the favourite to win, Hillary Clinton. Right up to near the time people came to cast their votes, I took the view the American people had a choice between two bad candidates but that Trump was the lesser of two evils. I believed Obama to have been overall bad for America and if Clinton won it would have been disastrous.

While I first expected Clinton would win, it was without the same conviction I had with the EU Referendum, when I really was surprised the UK voted to leave the EU. In that light, my gut instinct on the eve of the election was that Trump would pull off an unlikely victory and I for one would be pleased. And the shock to the world, if it believed the pollsters, was Trump did win and, from having a good idea how things might turn out if Clinton had won, i.e. a woeful continuation of Obama’s policies etc., we were cast into unknown territory. I even wondered if Trump would ever make it to the White House, for I fully believed, but for the protection of the Almighty, the establishment would find a way to stop him and get in someone they could control. Eight months into his presidency, Trump is still going, dare I say it, strong, but not without the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head, wondering which of the various plots to bring down the President might succeed, and his minders (Kelly & co.) trying to control his very move. But we are not out of the woods yet, for as I have been predicting in my previous two Trumpwatch posts, moves are afoot to somehow remove Trump, sooner rather than later. In a nutshell, many powerful people see Trump as a threat and have done an effective job convincing the people he is a danger with others convinced he is the one who can sort our America’s mess, with inevitable conflict between the two groups. The favourite right now is to do so by declaring him mad. It seems the efforts of many of his political detractors are being channeled to getting rid of him rather than serve their constituents, spurred on by a hostile media.

While like most I have my political preferences and likes and dislikes, I have been a lifelong skeptic and pride myself on maintaining an equal opportunity policy when giving my verdict on any politician. As I told one politician friend, I treat all with equal disdain. Despite Trump’s many faults and mistakes, only to be expected from one who is not a clever lawyer who carefully chooses his words, but rather as a street fighter who shoots from the hip, I have been overall impressed. If I had any doubt at the outset that he was the right man for the job, other than wishing he did certain things differently, most of those doubts, eight months on, have been removed, even though his personality and lack of experience have often got in the way. I fear if he were removed, it will be bad for America, although the mitigating factor is he has begun a revolution that will continue regardless whether he is at the helm.

The significant evangelical constituency that helped get Trump elected are divided on the matter of whether he should continue and fail to see the evil he is up against. I am sad when he is surrounded by those close to him yet who oppose him by stealth and he fails to see it and is isolated. I believe even in his inner circle he is surrounded by traitors, e.g. Trump’s National Security Advisor, H.R.McMaster. As for the Mueller investigation, I find the matter disturbing. If I were POTUS I would fire McMaster and Mueller and tell Kelly I will listen to what and speak to who I want. I fear some of the swamp is rearing its ugly head at the expense of the good guys and the situation is intolerable. I worry if Trump has the discernment or even the power to bring in the good guys and throw out the bad, although he has had some notable successes e..g firing Comey. One wonders what is going on. The country is divided, on the brink of civil war. What is missing is rational, respectful dialogue between folk seeking righteousness and truth. There are powerful, evil forces keen to exploit division. I have little doubt something hugely significant is about to break. Trump is out of his depth and God alone can help him but only if his motives are pure. This is one time when my heart’s cry is God bless America.

I can think of many reasons why Trump has been good for America this far: he has appointed a good judge to the Supreme Court. He has promoted religious liberty and made inroads into challenging abortion. Under him over a million jobs have been created and over 3 trillion dollars have been added to the value of the stock market. Disadvantageous (to America) trade deals have been or are in the process of being removed. He has strengthened internal and external security and dealt with the gangs running havoc in American cites as well as child sex trafficking. He has helped to defeat ISIS. I like the way he has stuck by Sheriff Joe Arpaio. On balance I am convinced his approach to conflicts on many fronts is better than it would have been under Obama. I believe he has rocked the establishment out of their complacency and begun to drain the swamp. And I could go on. Of course he is a maverick and a loose cannon who can be crass at times. But he is true Americana and is the perfect nemesis to the globalist elite that would have ruined (and still could if they get their own way) America if Clinton had won.

I found his latest speech in Phoenix, Arizona intriguing (but then I have come to expect it from this President). The vitriol of the attacks on him by mainstream media and members of the establishment have been astounding, as they were on the three speeches Trump made following the violence in Charlottesville, which I considered to be perfectly apt and reasonable, despite hysterical berating by establishment types of those who approved, although I was less certain regarding his Afghanistan speech. In normal circumstances, I would not expect a president to attack the media in his speeches, but these are unusual times. He is right to point out that many elements of mainstream media have been in the main unfair and it is said that attack is the best form of defence. If I were a prophet, I would be saying that America (like the UK) is ripe for judgment, but God in his mercy is delaying his judgment by giving them Trump. But will America be like Nineveh that repented under Jonah’s preaching (and God withheld his judgment) only to go back and was judged as recorded by a later prophet, Nahum? Time will tell.

I know where my hopes are. They aren’t in a man, who can only do so much, however worthy he may happen to be. Even if good he will inevitably be flawed as Trump clearly is. Even if powerful, and power does come with the office of the President, there is only so much a president can do. But he can show leadership and empower others, and that is what he is doing. I suppose the reason why I am drawn to Trump, irrespective of my earlier dislike, is that having lived my life seeing the populace dumbed down by insidious attack on those who hold traditional values and want to be free, I see someone who is their champion, who won’t be brought. I hope as the latest hurricane reeks havoc over Texas and beyond, Trump will take a lead in protecting the people. While I thank God that Trump is in office and my prayer is for his protection and the welfare of the people, I agree more with the American motto: “in God we trust”.

PS: I quite recognise that despite my best efforts, I have failed to convince some, who really believe Trump to be a despicable person, who spews hate and bigotry, that they may be mistaken. This is true even with good friends who I otherwise have much in common. It seems we see things through different lenses, having accumulated different sets of baggage on our life’s journey, and just maybe it will help if we were to stand in the other person’s shoes. Needless to say though, while I recognise Trump is far from perfect, and he needs to be taken to task when he is wrong as he sometimes / often is, I disagree with a lot of what his detractors claim to be true. It is my desire to set the record straight, given the overwhelming balance of reporting is unfairly anti-Trump, which makes me so determined in my pro-Trump leaning postings. Yet I hope, irrespective of our views concerning this President, we can still unite to join forces to seek out truth, promote love and tolerance, (if Christian) preach the gospel, work for the common good, and pray the prayer of St. Francis:

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you
Make me a channel of your peace
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there’s sadness ever joy
Oh, master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul
Make me a channel of your peace
It isn’t pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men let we receive
And in dying that we’re born to turn around