The Saving Grace of Donald Trump
by Babette Francis, national and international coordinator of Endeavour Forum, Inc.
U.S. President Donald Trump, arguably the most powerful man
in the world in terms of raw material power, has been demonised
not only in his own country but in some countries in Europe,
where left-wing politicians cannot make up their minds whether
he is a fool or a villain, or both.His Democrat opponent, Hillary Clinton, still seemingly unable to accept the reality of her defeat in November 2016, continues to tour the world and blame her loss on everything - ranging from a Russian conspiracy to U.S. husbands coercing their wives into voting for Trump.
In the meantime, a generally hostile media in the U.S. relishes raising old scandals about Trump, and they have plenty of fodder as he does have a colourful past. But before we judge him, we should acknowledge that, as he has been in the public eye for decades, his lifestyle has been scrutinized in detail. Not many of us would welcome that level of scrutiny in our own lives.
But what is of interest now is not President Trump's past but what he is doing and achieving now - and the realisation that sometimes the most unlikely public figures achieve great reforms. President Trump is in the process of doing that right now.
Bradley Mattes, president of the Life Issues Institute, recently wrote under the headline, "President Trump makes pro-life history":
"In 43 years of pro-life advocacy I have never seen such momentum and advancement on behalf of innocent human life [as] what I've witnessed since President Donald Trump has taken office.
"He's been a steadfast and unwavering champion for the unborn. Early on an unlikely vehicle to many, he has proven the naysayers wrong and demonstrated a deep commitment to saving babies and caring for mothers - even when Congress has refused to act....
"I and other Life Issues Institute staff watched from only feet away as President Trump made history, becoming the first President of the United States to address a pro-life gathering in person. And he made a powerful presence!" (Life Issues Institute, May 24, 2018).
Addressing the Susan B. Anthony List's 11th Campaign for Life Gala on May 22, President Trump stated, "When I ran for office, I pledged to stand for life. And as President, that's exactly what I've done. I have kept my promise..."
He is right, and, as Mattes has observed, "the list of promises President Trump has kept is growing daily", for instance:
- Surrounding himself with pro-life stalwarts like Mike Pence, whom he recently called a "true leader in the pro-life movement"; Attorney General Jeff Sessions; and Counsellor to the President, Kellyanne Conway.
- Appointing to the Supreme Court pro-life Justice Neil Gorsuch, which was a key promise that drew widespread support from many in the pro-life community.
- Promising to sign the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks when babies in the womb can feel the excruciating pain of abortion.
- Reinstituting the Mexico City Policy and expanding it to bar any U.S. government foreign financial assistance from being used to fund abortion.
- Creating the Conscience and Religious Freedom Division within the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services, which will protect doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who do not want to participate in the abortion procedure.
- Announcing the federal Protect Life Rule, which will direct Title X tax dollars away from Planned Parenthood and other abortion-providers and towards pro-life healthcare centres.
The Susan B. Anthony (SBA) List has added its own tribute to the President: "President Trump has shown decisive leadership: delivering on a key promise to pro-life voters who worked so hard to elect him." The SBA List called the Protect Life Rule a "major victory that will energize the grassroots as we head into the critical midterm elections". According to the SBA List, Planned Parenthood until now has been receiving $50-60 million in U.S. taxpayer Title X funds annually.
Author and rehabilitation counsellor Margaret Marie says that not only will the Protect Life Rule help prevent abortions, but it will also prevent "clinics", run by bodies such as abortion giant Planned Parenthood, from "getting away with hiding suspected victims of sexual assault, incest and rape". According to the Catholic News Agency, it will require Title X recipients to document how they follow state laws on reporting such suspected cases (RedTea.com, May 22, 2018).
President Trump recently said, "We know that every life has meaning and that every life is totally worth protecting." And it is not all talk - his initiatives in this area outnumber those of other pro-life presidents, such as Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush:
- appointing pro-life judges;
- requiring health insurance companies to disclose if their plans cover abortion;
- permitting states to defund major abortion-provider Planned Parenthood;
- stopping tax dollars funding abortion overseas; and
- defunding the pro-abortion UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA).
To which, of course, should be added President Trump's statement last October for Down Syndrome Awareness Month, when he affirmed the "inherent dignity" of people with Down syndrome and decried the "tragically misguided" sentiment that underlies anti-life attitudes toward them (LifeSite News, October 3, 2017).
Yes, President Trump does have a colourful past; but his saving grace is his commitment to protecting the lives of unborn babies, and for that we need to be truly grateful.
The above article originally appeared in Fidelity magazine. 