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Donald Trump will never change. Anyone who expects that he will somehow become gracious, magnanimous, or unselfish is wrong. That’s who he is. That’s his brand. Like it or not, it appeals to a lot of people in this country and got him where he is. If nothing else, Trump is authentic. He does not pretend to be someone he isn’t, and he rarely leaves us wondering what is on his mind.
But he is not dumb, and now that the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected his last-ditch appeal to overturn the election, he has to know that Joe Biden will be sworn in as America’s 46th president in less than six weeks.
The issue becomes how does Trump deal with that reality and still be true to his brand. What can he say that will both “save face” with his ultra-loyal base, yet still be in the national interest? Since Trump’s chief speechwriter seems unable to help his boss find the right words to thread the needle, here is a suggestion of what Trump could say in a national address:
My fellow Americans:
I have always believed that if all — and only legal — votes were correctly counted, our campaign would be victorious. It is now clear that will not happen. Therefore, against the strong urgings of my family and many advisers, in the interest of our great nation I have directed my legal team to stop any further efforts to contest the election.
In the weeks ahead, I will focus on the safety and well-being of the American people, particularly the rapid and widespread distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, which will begin in a matter of hours.
I am proud of what my administration accomplished. I created the most robust economy in America’s history, with record low unemployment, especially among African Americans and Hispanics. I cut tax rates, which allowed more people to keep more of their hard-earned money, and millions saw the value of retirement funds soar as the stock market reached new highs. I took unprecedented steps to cut the high cost of prescription drugs, especially for seniors, and I eliminated thousands of government regulations that stood in the way of people pursuing their dreams.
I canceled outdated and unfair treaties and trade agreements that put our workers at a disadvantage. I reestablished the United States as the leading force for peace in the Middle East and put our adversaries – especially China and Russia – on notice that we would no longer allow them to take advantage of us. I strengthened our borders, and rebuilt our military.
When we were hit without warning by the China virus, I took strong and decisive actions, which saved lives. Even though I was accused of being racist and xenophobic, I wisely closed the country to foreign travel, established the White House Coronavirus Task Force, and worked closely with governors to make sure that the states had what they needed. Every single patient who needed a ventilator got a ventilator. I established Operation Warp Speed to cut through government red tape so that testing, treatments, and vaccines could be produced in record time. As a result of what I did, a massive nationwide vaccination program is about to begin.
I would have preferred to continue the fight because there is more I want to do for America. But as your president, I must put the country’s interests first. That’s why I ran for office and how I have approached every issue that crossed my desk.
It is the honor of my lifetime to sit in this office. To those who supported our campaign, thank you for your confidence. Be assured I will continue fighting for you.
May God continue to bless America.
President Trump is not required by law to “concede,” or to even mention his successor by name. This speech does neither. And he is entitled to claim credit for what he achieved. After his address, he should fly to Mar-a-Lago and just exhale. Then the rest of us can, too.
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