While some of his proposals were authoritarian and far too deferential to the anti-gun fringes, President Trump has damaged the credibility of his leadership by backtracking on his gun control pledges.
Trump had struck his distinctive get-things-done pose while promising action on gun violence. To that end, Trump used a White House meeting to openly challenge both Republicans and Democrats to break the status quo deadlock.
Today?
Not so much.
Having slammed research commissions, Trump is now calling for a new one to consider gun restrictions he had previously endorsed. Having endorsed an age limit increase for rifle purchases, Trump now says he will wait to see how ongoing litigation fares.
Don’t get me wrong, Trump is probably shifting from worse policy to better, but the shift itself shows that Trump’s pledges, grave and stern one moment, can evaporate quickly.
As former President Barack Obama learned with Russia, when it comes to leadership and credibility, a president must follow through on that which he or she has said he will pursue. If not, others will be less predisposed to follow a president’s leadership and more predisposed to challenge or undercut their stated agenda.
Let us hope that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not paying attention here.
