Trump vs. Lincoln: A Comparison of Leadership Styles
It presents a stark paradox that Donald Trump aspires to lead the Republican Party, founded by Abraham Lincoln. However, Trump is no Lincoln. The two men differ significantly in background, education, political experience, and positions.
Trump was raised in a family of high social status, while Lincoln described his early life as “the short and simple annals of the poor.” Trump graduated from a prestigious university in Pennsylvania; Lincoln was largely self-educated, with less than a year of formal schooling. Trump lacks political experience; Lincoln held several important political positions, including in Congress and the U.S. Senate, and played a significant role in the Republican Party. Trump has often appeared ignorant and contradictory, even during his campaign, while Lincoln staunchly defended slaves and opposed the expansion of slavery.
Campaign Strategies: A Tale of Two Leaders
One of the most significant differences between these two men lies in their campaign approaches. Trump frequently criticized and insulted his political rivals. He mocked Representative John McCain’s status as a “war hero” because he was captured and held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam for five years. He often humiliated people based on their appearance. In contrast, Lincoln dedicated his presidency to fighting the expansion of slavery.
Views on Immigration and Equality
Trump has also been known to ridicule and denigrate entire racial groups, particularly Mexicans. A prominent feature of his campaign involved categorizing the vast majority of them as criminals, drug dealers, and rapists. Lincoln would have found these accusations abhorrent. During a period of intense discrimination against Irish and German workers in the mid-1850s, even while fighting against slavery, Lincoln wrote in a letter to Joshua Speed: “As a nation, we began by declaring that ‘all men are created equal.’ We now practically read it ‘all men are created equal, except negroes.’ When the (anti-immigrant) Know-Nothings gain control, it will read ‘all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.’ If it comes to this, I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty…”
The Power of Humor vs. Arrogance
Unlike Trump, Lincoln often used wit and humor to disarm his rivals, rather than resorting to arrogance and insults. This was evident during the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858. When Stephen Douglas, his opponent, accused Lincoln of being two-faced, Lincoln responded with a joke: “Honestly, if I were two-faced, would I be showing you this one?” The audience laughed, leaving Douglas speechless. This episode exemplified Lincoln’s campaign style.
Leadership in Times of Crisis
In an era of political unfairness, some Americans support Trump, arguing that a pretentious and threatening leader is necessary. However, during a time of far greater unfairness—the Civil War, which led to a military conflict that left 750,000 dead—Lincoln, a gifted and principled leader, guided the United States through the crisis, never allowing Americans to forget their Constitution.