Transactional Trump

At The Atlantic, staffer Peter Nicholas writes that there are two reasons Republican members of Congress don’t cross President Trump. In addition to the obvious - the Republican base very much likes what Trump’s gotten done, and tried to do - there is a second major reason that’s less often noted.

Trump has built personal ties with key members of Congress that have cemented their loyalty.

“Trump has been extremely good at taking care of the parochial interests of members of Congress, and they appreciate that,” former Republican Representative David Jolly of Florida told me, adding that he’s discussed the president with his former colleagues. “I talked to one member who said, I wish he wouldn’t do these things, but privately, he’s a really nice guy and he’s really good to me.”

As a builder in NYC, Trump buttered up aldermen and -women, building commission members, and union leaders. We see him doing it with people like Kim in North Korea too. It obviously works for him in deal-making.

For Trump it’s both the Golden Rule and its bitter obverse. Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you, certainly. But also do unto others as they’ve done unto you, as in the Soleimani execution. The Marine Corps uses a version of this as its unofficial motto: No better friend, no worse enemy.

A hundred years from now, historians will use the word “transactional” to describe the Trump presidency. It’s both his interpersonal style and his foreign relations mantra.