Trump didn’t ‘drain the swamp,’ but his efforts warrant some applause
Christopher Tremoglie
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Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly mentioned the inconsistent tiers of justice, bureaucracy, and general corruption that have plagued our country in recent years (if not decades). There is an acceptable way of life for those in the elite class compared to the rest of the country. There’s a set of rules for the well-connected and another for the well-to-do, ordinary person in the country. Trump campaigned in 2016, and now in 2023, on draining the so-called swamp. Unfortunately, it never came to fruition.
During an interview with Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, Bartiromo mentioned to Trump that he didn’t uphold his pledge to “drain the swamp.” Trump replied that he “fired” many people, explicitly highlighting former FBI Director James Comey.
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“I fired Comey. I fired a lot of people. A lot of the people I had, I fired. I fired Comey very early,” Trump said. “And, you know, there was a question as to whether or not you could. But I fired Comey. If I didn’t fire Comey, I don’t think I would have been able to serve out my term because that was a plot.”
However, if firing Comey was “draining the swamp,” then choosing Christopher Wray as his replacement was “refilling it.” Comey’s termination did little, if anything, to eliminate the corruption at the FBI or the justice system. He underestimated the depth of the swamp and its resolve to fight back. “The swamp” goes beyond the FBI. It includes many people and many offices in the nation’s bureaucracy. Trump had to do more work and go deeper, which is something he failed to do — whether he admits it or not.
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Objectively, it should be noted that “draining the swamp” is no easy feat. It’s so complex it can be reasoned that Trump’s failure to do so shouldn’t result in too much criticism. If I had to guess, I would say that Trump probably didn’t realize how difficult it would be. He also made several poor personnel decisions that severely hampered his efforts (self-inflicted mistakes that must be corrected if he is elected in 2024). Moreover, it could be argued that Trump deserved applause for his effort. He at least tried to do so, which no president before him has attempted. And there were many forces (and people) actively working against him to prevent the “draining.” This is also something that should be widely acknowledged regarding his attempt to fail to “drain the swamp.”
Instead of deflecting blame or merely stating that he fired Comey, I would have liked to see Trump admit his difficulties and tell everyone what he learned in his attempt and how he would do things differently if elected in 2024. I think most people would understand this admission from Trump. Even some of the greatest strategists suffered defeat. However, the critical thing would be what adjustments Trump would make in any draining attempts. It is not necessarily something he must admit publicly or in interviews, but it is something he needs to know and realize.