Former FBI Director James Comey recently published an important opinion piece in the New York Times. In the article, he examines the question of how otherwise intelligent, accomplished people, like Bill Barr and Rod Rosenstein, can find themselves justifying and excusing the amoral and illegal actions of this president.
Amoral leaders have a way of revealing the character of those around them.
James Comey
Comey points out that “it takes character” to “avoid the damage” when working for Trump and that “accomplished people” too often lack the “inner strength” to “resist the compromises necessary to survive Mr. Trump.”
Comey describes a four step process by which Trump co-opts the people around him:
First, “Mr. Trump pulls all of those present into a silent circle of assent” wherein his lies go unchallenged. “Mr. Trump makes everyone a co-conspirator to his preferred set of facts, or delusions.”
Second, Trump sets up situations, with the TV cameras running, that obligate those around him to demonstrate “public displays of personal fealty at places like cabinet meetings.”
Third, Trump attacks the institutions and values of the United States that people around him support, but those people remain silent because they work for the President of the United States.
At this point, personal ego steps in. These weak leaders (like “the Republican members of Congress”) convince themselves that they must stay to protect the country. They believe that they, themselves, are “too important to lose.”
They tell themselves: “You are smarter than Donald Trump, and you are playing a long game for your country, so you can pull it off where lesser leaders have failed and gotten fired by tweet.”
Fourth, Comey points out that “of course, to stay, you must be seen as on his team, so you make further compromises. You use his language, praise his leadership, tout his commitment to values.”
Comey concludes, “And then you are lost. He has eaten your soul.”
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Matthew 16:26
Source: James Comey, “How Trump Co-opts Leaders like Bill Barr,” Opinion, The New York Times, May 1, 2019.
Interesting thoughts… Comey’s book is a meditation on leadership, contrasting good leaders who combine humility and confidence with bad leaders who combine pride and insecurity.