In the age of Trump, unlikely bipartisanship has blossomed.
Ever since President Trump’s shocking victory last November, he has shown no signs of giving up his raucous and bombastic style, much to the dismay of his opponents and some of his supporters. In addition, his administration has become embroiled in a series of embarrassing PR fights over sparse attendance at his inauguration—fights which critics see as indicative of his plans to stifle the flow of information from the government and stifle the free press. This, in conjunction with the Women’s March on January 21, indicates that there will certainly be a resilient resistance to his administration by a broad coalition on the left.
While Trump can certainly expect the backing of Republicans and fierce opposition of Democrats for the majority of his policies, his populist, unorthodox campaign promises suggest that there are some policy pushes where he will find unusual allies or, conversely, unexpected enemies. For all that has been written about the decaying bipartisanship on Capitol Hill, some of Trump’s bold moves may offer a critical, if oddly circumstantial, respite from partisan mud-slinging. On the other hand, Trump’s often-contradictory statements on national security, healthcare, and could squander his political capital on fights he cannot win with all of Congress. The unique platform of his victory requires careful calculation on his part to utilize it best he can.
Russia: a common concern
Trump’s connections to Russia, which have called to question his credibility and even loyalty to the United States, have been a contentious point of recent debate. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) has continued the probe into allegations of Russian election influence, and it wasn’t just Democrats in Congress who were requesting it. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John McCain (R-AZ), both high-profile Republicans, joined forces with Democratic senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Jack Reed (D-RI) in a statement demanding investigation into Russian cyber-attacks. While some Republicans are stalling inquiries about the loyalty of the new president, others are actively demanding answers.
While most of Trump’s cabinet appointees underwent the standard partisan back-and-forth during their confirmation hearings, General James Mattis was a notable exception. A former four-star general of the United States Marine Corps, Mattis was chosen for Secretary of Defense. Matt is well-respected for his loyalty and leadership abilities. His intentions to allow women in combat and maintain the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” have endeared him to liberals. Furthermore, declaring Russia as America’s “principal threat” reassured his reputation among senators who question Trump’s softness towards the Kremlin. As such, he was confirmed by the Senate in a vote of 98-1.
Liberals and libertarians: Trump’s new opposition?
However, Trump may now face opposition from the more libertarian wing of Congress, most notably from Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). Rand Paul expressed fierce opposition to the consideration of John Bolton as Secretary of State for his interventionist attitudes; it was by Paul’s efforts that Trump replaced Bolton with Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson instead. Likewise, Paul joined several Democrats in voting against confirming Mike Pompeo as the new CIA director, voicing his distaste for Pompeo’s openness to continuing torture programs and the use of American surveillance programs on private citizens. Such attitudes from Paul indicate that this is only the start of his opposition to some of Trump’s more ambitious programs involving stronger government or interventionist foreign policy.
On certain issues, Trump has found an unlikely friend in Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Although the populist Sanders ensured that he was distanced from Trump’s rhetoric and allegiances during the course of the campaign, Sanders has voiced his support for some of Trump’s first moves as president. For example, Sanders agreed with Trump that the government should work to lower drug prices within the United States. Sanders also called on Trump to follow through with his promise to not cut Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits, even going so far as to bring a giant poster of Trump’s tweet declaring such to the Senate floor. Also, in a move popular with even some Democrats in Congress, Sanders praised Trump for his executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
International policy
When it comes to Trump’s outspoken promises on American membership in international treaties, however, Trump has few—if any—allies in Congress, which will likely prevent him from fulfilling any of his proposals. Though the president may negotiate international agreements, it still takes a resolution of ratification from the Senate to give him permission to do so, and the same generally goes for backing out. Trump’s repeated excoriation of NATO, the WTO, and NAFTA has little support among congressional Republicans and certainly none from Democrats who vilify his approach to diplomacy. Likewise, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) again defended the importance of NATO and warned of the threat from Russia immediately before the inauguration. At this point, there is no viable path to undo our treaties abroad; Trump faces an insurmountable bipartisan wall.
Nevertheless, the odd array of bipartisan alignments has only occurred on a select basis. One need only look at the GOP’s current efforts to defund Planned Parenthood and replace Obamacare to see that a total realignment is out of the question. Likewise, the Senate confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, Trump’s appointee for Secretary of Education, was bitterly divided between Republicans and Democrats. Many of the old rivalries still remain, and Democrats will nevertheless fight as they lose ground in a Republican-dominated Congress. It would be a gross overstatement and outright naïve to say that Trump’s presidency alone will usher in a new era of cooperation after the past decade’s conflict and the brutal 2016 elections.
While Trump will certainly find allies within his own party willing to implement conservative economic and social policy throughout his term, his unorthodox and scattered political strategy has reshuffled the political landscape in which he must navigate. Some of his policies, like acceptance of the LGBT status quo, will likely enjoy general, if at times hesitant, support. However, his blunt foreign policy approach will be a waste of political capital as both parties shoot down his treaty promises. Other novel points from the campaign trail like drug pricing and torture may find some party members reaching across the aisle to bring about a solution. As a continued development in our current political upheaval, the divisiveness of Trump may, in some select cases, bring about a more bipartisan and cooperative Congress.