Donald Trump started his campaign being viewed as a joke. No one thought a businessman with no governing experience would ever get this close to winning the nomination. Now, it’s no longer improbable that he will win the nomination. When it comes to delegates, Trump is clearly in the lead after bringing in about 250 delegates on Super Tuesday. If he wins the nomination, he has a strong possibility of becoming president. It’s time to consider what type of president he might be.
Many argue the U.S. needs to be run more like a business. However, if Trump runs the U.S. anything like he runs his businesses, it will be run into the ground. Trump may seem like a successful businessman when it comes to real estate, but according to Ana Swanson of The Washington Post, “forays into casinos, airlines, professional football and other industries have ended badly.” Trump has shown he is a one-trick pony — it’s unlikely his real-estate success will translate into a presidency, just as it hasn’t translated into a successful steak business. While making a lot of money is one measure of success, Trump didn’t start at the bottom. It’s strange how he attempts to relate to the everyday American when he has made more money than most Americans will ever make in their lifetimes. Paying off student loans or struggling to make ends meet is a foreign concept to him — much in contrast to President Obama, who paid off his student loans just 12 years ago.
Many of Trump’s supporters are drawn to the fact that he does not censor himself, but speaking your mind does not necessarily make you a good president. With Trump’s inconsistent stances on important issues, it’s impossible to know whether he’s saying what he really thinks or just pandering to what the people want to hear. Who knows what he will do once in office?
The best example of Trump’s unethical business practices is Trump University. As a for-profit institution, it had little interest in providing an education. Calling it a university was misleading, as Emma Brown wrote for The Washington Post. It was actually just a series of real-estate workshops held in hotel ballrooms. Those who paid for it did not receive what they expected. Trump has gone out of his way to deceive people with his business practices: Why would a Trump presidency be any different? While the president’s salary may not be the most attractive aspect of the job for Trump, there’s no question that once in the position, Trump can change things in his favor and increase his already substantial fortune.
PolitiFact has even awarded Trump’s lies the 2015 Lie of the Year. He made several inaccurate statements that served to fuel racism, from claiming Mexico sends over all the criminals to downplaying the number of whites killed by whites. These lies have real consequences and ignite hysteria. While a candidate can’t fact-check everything he or she says, the number of lies PolitiFact has caught is just embarrassing.
Whether it’s the lies or a simple lack of skills, Trump has shown how his presidency would create an America that wouldn’t be great. Being an outsider is not always a good thing — it can show a lack of competency and a track record of not being able to adapt to working outside of real estate.
Nicole Dan is a UF political science sophomore. Her column appears on Mondays.
