Accounts from two different women have emerged in recent weeks, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, credibly detailing sexual relationships they carried out with President Trump in the early years of his marriage to the first lady.
This does not buck the narrative Trump himself has deliberately crafted, posing on the cover of Playboy, openly admitting to cheating on his first wife with his second. Conservatives grappled with that narrative during the primaries, and rumblings of those questions have never faded entirely, but recent reports present another challenge.
The sitting president, a Republican representative of the conservative movement, likely carried out extramarital affairs at the expense of the first lady. It’s not earth-shattering information — other presidents have done the same (even while in office) and Trump’s habits have long been known — but it’s nothing for conservatives to excuse. And ignoring, by the way, is excusing.
The character of a president is the bedrock of his moral credibility — an important currency to have as a leader and one that sets an example for children.
Some of Trump’s ardent supporters argue that nobody cares about his sex life. They say it’s irrelevant to the people living paycheck to paycheck who want him to work on the economy and want to hear the media talk about it. I disagree, but that’s fair enough.
Another group of his supporters, however, insistently seek to depict him as a man of sterling character, almost overcompensating for his obvious (and admitted) deficiencies by going to great lengths in their efforts. Preferably, in the face of new reports, this group would adopt a more honest approach to Trump, not ignoring the news, not poking holes in the stories, but confronting head on the serious possibility they’ve supported a president who cheated on his current wife.
Those who fight both for Trump and to preserve the sanctity of marriage can admit the reports are credible, admit the behavior is bad, and encourage the president to set a better example by honestly admitting to his mistakes. It’s okay, and it’s the right thing to do.
