Guest Opinion: The case for Donald Trump

The president of GUCR makes his case ahead of election.

Credit: Emad Nour/Shutterstock.com

The Georgetown Review asked both sides to answer our election related questions. The following is a Q&A with Ian Cruz, the president of the Georgetown University College Republicans. GUCD did not respond.

Why should a Harris supporter care about your thoughts in this article?

A Harris supporter should consider the arguments I make in this article because I am voicing the concerns of tens of millions of Americans. I’m giving an insight into the rationale behind Trump’s support, and I would hope my fellow Hoyas are willing to rationally consider the Republican view rather than dismiss or demonize the former President and his supporters – like President Biden did by calling us “garbage.”

What do you think the biggest issue is in this election? 

Without a doubt Immigration and Border Security is the biggest issue in this election. Under the Biden-Harris administration, between 11 and 17 million illegal aliens have come into the United States. This is extremely dangerous to our homeland security since U.S. officials don’t know everyone who has come into our country, such as the 2 million known “gotaways” – border crossers who were detected by Customs and Border Protection technology, but who were never apprehended.

Additionally, 375 illegal aliens on the U.S. government’s terrorist watchlist have been apprehended by Border Patrol under President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’s watch. This crisis was by design when Biden-Harris undid President Trump’s border security measures, such as the border wall and ‘Remain in Mexico’ on their first day in office.

Kamala Harris, the border czar, had a disastrous trip to Guatemala where she told migrants “do not come” (but they did) and equated visiting the U.S. southern border with going to Europe. Should President Trump return to the White House, securing our border will be his top priority and he will reimplement the policies that worked while he was in office.

Why are you supporting Donald Trump for president?

President Trump puts the American people first! He stands up to our enemies and allies alike, and is willing to say the hard truth. There’s a reason he’s assembling a team that represents the best of America, and brings people together from different sects of American society to the table. This includes unorthodox personalities for a Republican such as Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. Moreover, President Trump has a record of success during his administration.

As someone studying international politics, Trump’s foreign policy made the U.S. safer and stronger. He advanced peace in the Middle East through the Abraham Accords where four Arab countries normalized relations with Israel. Trump also held our NATO allies accountable for not fulfilling their defense spending commitments.

In 2016, only four NATO members (including the U.S.) met the benchmark to spend 2% of GDP on defense compared to ten in 2020. Additionally, the Trump administration’s ‘Maximum Pressure’ campaign against Iran was incredibly successful. Iran’s oil exports sharply decreased and denied the regime over $10 billion of oil revenue. This, in turn, prohibited Iran from funding its terrorist proxies and left the world safer.

What do you see as the main differences between a Harris presidency and a Trump presidency?

There are many differences to cite from inflation to border security to foreign policy, but I would sum it up as Trump = success and Biden-Harris = failure. During the Trump administration, our immigration was controlled, our economy (pre-Covid) was thriving, and the world was safer.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have done the opposite: a border crisis, record inflation, and two new major conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Harris would continue the failing policies of the current administration. She is unserious since she laughs at difficult questions and does not tell Americans what she stands for other than abortion and that she is not Donald Trump.

Kamala’s inability to clearly define herself for the American people is too great a risk for the American people to take on November 5 because you don’t know what you’re going to get. But with Trump, you know exactly what he’s going to do because he’s done it before. Kamala Harris broke America and Donald Trump will fix it.

Many of Trump’s closest former aids have said he is unfit for office. He is also a convicted felon and has made numerous comments about immigrants and racial minorities that some find disturbing. How do you reconcile these facts with your support of Trump?

It’s simple. I look at the policies and the candidates’ records. President Trump’s agenda helped all Americans. Look no further than his opportunity zones which attracted over $78 billion in investments in underserved communities as of the end of 2019. The media likes to paint an ugly picture of Trump and his supporters but there is nothing further from the truth, like taking Trump’s words out of context.

At every rally I have attended, I experienced a warm and loving group of Americans who love their country. Not to mention, Donald Trump has created the most diverse GOP coalition in decades – that’s a testament to true leadership. If Trump were such a vile person as the left portrays, this would not be the case.

Additionally, the legal cases brought against Trump are politically motivated, especially the case in New York. When the judge prevents the defense’s key witness from testifying on the substance of the case and his daughter works for a Democrat-aligned organization, it is fair to raise questions about impartiality.

This only feeds the narrative that the judicial system has been weaponized against its political opponents, and divides the country further. Many Republicans feel Democrats are coming after them as they have done under the Biden-Harris administration where Catholics and pro-life activists have been targeted. The fact Donald Trump could have retired after 2021 but continues to fight for the American people shows he truly cares about the U.S. and that transcends any narrative pushed by the left.