Beth Ann Rosica: Dear President Trump, please use your superpowers for good, part two

Dear President Trump:

I wrote an open letter to you shortly after the election, following your historic win of not only the electoral college but also the popular vote. As a first-time Trump voter, and first-time Republican presidential candidate voter, I asked you to use your superpowers for good. The combination of an unfathomable alternative candidate and your superpowers led to a strong mandate from the American people to enact strong policies that would help our nation prosper and keep us safe.

Today, as we approach the 100-day mark of your second presidency, I am writing again to remind you that it is possible to make good policy decisions without being a jerk. 

I know that your MAGA base doesn’t mind your brash New York-style attitude — in fact, they actually love it — but many of us who comprise an odd coalition of independents, libertarians, and moderate Democrats, really want a president who is “presidential.”

It doesn’t mean you can’t be funny or make jokes — I am just asking that you stop being mean and sometimes disrespectful. A good tenet to remember is “mean what you say, say what you mean, and don’t be mean when you say it.”

In your short time in office, you have accomplished much. I, along with numerous Americans, agree with many of your policy decisions. I celebrated your inauguration when you signed the Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government Executive Order. With the stroke of a pen, you reinstated sanity by recognizing only two biological sexes. You understood women and girls should not be forced to share bathrooms and locker rooms with men and boys.

You furthered your commitment to women a few weeks later with the Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports Executive Order. The vast majority of Americans support your stance on protecting women’s opportunities and their safety.

Mr. President, you kept your campaign promise and have drastically reduced illegal immigration. You signed the Laken Riley Act into law to protect American citizens and hold illegal immigrants accountable for committing crimes in our country.

You created DOGE to identify and reduce government fraud, waste, and abuse. Elon Musk and his team uncovered billions of taxpayer dollars funding ridiculous and wasteful initiatives. When you appointed Secretary McMahon to the Department of Education, you gave her a clear mandate to put herself out of a job.

In your second term, you are holding universities accountable with the threat of taking away funding for rampant antisemitism and violent protests. Gender-affirming care is no longer supported under your watch, and you kept another campaign promise to “Make America Healthy Again.” Moms across the country are anxiously awaiting the recommendations and actions out of the MAHA Commission. Many Americans are pleased with the reinstitution of meritocracy and the end of DEI initiatives.

This list of your accomplishments is far from exhaustive — rather it is just a smattering of the many positive policy decisions enacted since taking office.

Yet despite these wins for the American people, there are many — even some that voted for you, myself included — who are not happy with your attitude and unkindness.

Take, for example, a small policy change in the larger scheme of things  — eliminating the paper straw. Aside from a small group of extreme environmentalists, most people despise paper straws and resent the government enforcing them. You rolled back the former administration’s push to mandate paper straws. Rather than simply announcing the reversal and possibly making a funny joke about how the paper straws basically deteriorate when using, you post about “Crooked Joe.”

While that behavior appeals to your MAGA base, it does not play so well with the eclectic coalition who helped you get back to the White House.

Much more importantly, I highly suggest that you explain your more complicated policies and strategies to the American public, rather than asking them to take you at your word. People from all political parties and persuasions are very concerned about the tariffs. Most are watching the stock market and the mainstream media and are drawing the conclusion that the tariffs are tanking our economy. They are worried about their retirement plans.

I am not an economist and will not pretend to fully understand the consequences of these policy decisions, which is why it is imperative to explain to your constituents the strategy and anticipated outcomes. Like many of your chess moves, I sense this is just another negotiating tactic, but regular Americans feel like pawns in your game as they watch their 401k’s fall off a cliff.

Rather than explaining the strategy and giving Americans a reason to trust you, this post on X creates more fear and distrust.

The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO. Don’t be Weak! Don’t be Stupid! Don’t be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2025

You call a majority of Americans “stupid” and “weak” for worrying about their hard-earned retirement. There are much more effective ways to communicate. Your goal should be to alleviate the public’s concerns, not intensify it.

The same holds true for the elimination of federal jobs and programs. While the work DOGE is doing is wonderful, there needs to be a level of compassion for the actual human beings impacted by the cuts. We can lay people off and cut unnecessary services without being cavalier about their situation.

Stop mentioning running for a third term. It is nonsensical and makes you look at the best not serious and at the worst in violation of the Constitution.

President Trump, you have an unprecedented opportunity to change the trajectory of the nation. Your early policy decisions are on the right path, and there is so much to be done. Stop giving your haters — and even some of your unlikely supporters — ammunition to take you down in the court of public opinion. 

Just because the mainstream media portrays you as a brazen bully doesn’t mean you have to act like one.  Take the high road and lead by example. You can be strong and polite at the same time.

Please President Trump, use your superpowers for good and be the president the unlikely coalition elected you to be.

Beth Ann Rosica resides in West Chester, has a Ph.D. in Education, and has dedicated her career to advocating on behalf of at-risk children and families. She covers education issues for Broad + Liberty. Contact her at barosica@broadandliberty.com.