If you thought the American left couldn’t get any lower in their attacks on President Trump, think again.
Mimicking the abuse of psychiatry to target political opponents in the Soviet Union, liberals are now questioning Trump’s “mental fitness.” It’s easy to spot political bias at work because these so-called “experts” never demanded a mental exam for any Democrat in the White House, including Bill Clinton, whose behavior arguably resembled narcissistic personality disorder and other pathologies listed in the DSM.
Fortunately, a best-selling book published 30 years ago will help them understand that Trump’s thinking and behavior have remained remarkably clear, cogent, and consistent over many years.
{mosads}That book is Trump: The Art of the Deal.
“The elements of the deal” that Trump laid out in his 1987 book precisely map his actions today.
Think big. “I like thinking big.” What could be bigger than making America great again? Washington politicians sought to manage what they believed was America’s inevitable decline. Trump beat them because he wasn’t afraid of winning and dared us all to think big and make America great again.
Maximize your options. The media couldn’t understand why candidate Trump held massive rallies in the supposedly “solid blue” states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. He was maximizing his options to win — and win he did.
Know your market. Trump understands everyday Americans and speaks their language. Don Jr. calls his dad the “blue-collar billionaire,” and he’s right. He knows the needs and desires of America’s working men and women. The elites in the Washington media don’t get it, but the elites don’t elect the president (though they wish they did). The American people do.
Use your leverage. Trump is using America’s leverage to cut the United Nations budget, make NATO allies pay more for their defense, and get better deals with Mexico, China, Pakistan and other countries.
Enhance your location. Trump said he would make America the best place on earth to live, work, invest and do business. He cut taxes, withdrew from the Paris climate agreement and is renegotiating trade deals — all to restore America’s competitive edge and enhance our location.
Get the word out. While others would rely on an army of consultants, Trump uses Twitter to get the word out the same way he always has — by doing it himself. He wrote, “if you are a little different, or a little outrageous, or if you do things that are bold or controversial, the press is going to write about you.” Well, the press is still writing about him, but for some reason they act surprised that Trump is different and bold.
Fight back. No one can say they weren’t warned that Trump fights back very hard when something he believes in is threatened – he said so in The Art of the Deal. Candidate Trump beat 16 candidates in the most brutal primary in American history. Americans like a fighter, and proof that they got one when they elected Trump can be found in The Art of the Deal — and in the smoking ashes of the ISIS Caliphate.
Deliver the goods. Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, nixed the TransPacific Partnership, withdrew from the Paris climate accord, cut taxes, rolled back the regulatory state, boosted the economy and crushed ISIS just as he said he would — because he’s always believed you must deliver the goods.
Contain the costs. It’s in his book and it explains Trump’s budget-cutting, regulation-slashing, bureaucracy-shrinking administration. He wrote, “I believe in spending what you have to. But I also believe in not spending more than you should.”
Have fun. The pundits can’t stand it when Trump tweets “little Rocket Man,” “my button is bigger than yours,” “Sloppy Steve,” “Sneaky Diane” and “Pocahontas.” When you’re fighting and winning, you’ve got to have fun while you’re doing it. That’s what Trump wrote back then, and that’s what he’s doing now.
Trump has arguably achieved more than anyone in American history — he became a billionaire who earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, ran for office for the first time and won the presidency against the odds with only a handful of people, a plane and a cell phone.
The left and the major media can’t grasp the genius of a man who is clearly above average and operating at a much higher level than what they know from their prior experience.
They don’t have to rely on dubious psychiatrists, witch doctors or psychics to understand how President Trump thinks.
All they have to do is read the book he wrote in 1987. It’s all right there before their eyes in The Art of the Deal.
Katrina Pierson is national spokeswoman for America First Action and served as national spokesperson for the Donald J. Trump campaign. Curtis Ellis is senior advisor for America First Action and served as senior policy advisor for the Donald J. Trump campaign.