Donald Trump's Compassion

  By Timothy D. Naegele[1]

 

Thanks to border czar Tom Homan, our ICE, military and other members of law enforcement, border crossings were close to zero earlier this year.[2]  Swap meets and other venues where illegals sell their wares are being canceled, over fears that ICE agents will be waiting.[3]

There is little question that Donald Trump can be tough, but can he be compassionate too?  Ronald Reagan brought down the "evil empire" of the Soviet Union, and the Berlin Wall.  In the summer of 1965, my wife and I walked through "Checkpoint Charlie" into East Berlin.

Years later I was in Berlin with German friends when the "Berlin Wall" was torn down; and rag-tag Soviet soldiers were selling their uniforms and plumbing fixtures from their barracks, and going back to "tent cities" in the USSR.  Roads that had stopped at the "Iron Curtain" and its guard towers continued on, as all vestiges of the division were eliminated with usual German efficiency.

The flip side of Reagan's heroics was that as Governor he shut down the California State Mental Hospital in Camarillo, California, which turned out onto the streets those who needed help. Today, all vestiges of its past are gone; and it is California State University Channel Islands.[4]  By ending Section 8, the Trump presidency will be expanding the ranks of the homeless.[5]

Some argue that the Republicans have no compassion for underdogs, and those in need of help.  Having been an Independent since I left the U.S. Senate, I beg to differ.  They are Trump’s "Make America Great Again" or MAGA supporters.  And I joined their ranks when Donald and Melania Trump came down the escalator at Trump Tower in New York City, and began their quest for the presidency.

Perhaps it would be wise for Trump to heed the collective wisdom and compassion of his MAGA faithful.  Reagan failed to do so; and the ranks of sick homeless have swelled in the United States.  In some quarters, he is remembered for the "Iran-Contra affair," not his history-making heroics.[6]

 

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© 2025, Timothy D. Naegele

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[1]  Timothy D. Naegele was counsel to the United States Senate's Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and chief of staff to Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal recipient and former U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-Mass).  See, e.g., Timothy D. Naegele Resume-21-8-6  and https://naegeleknol.wordpress.com/accomplishments/  He has an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), as well as two law degrees from the School of Law (Boalt Hall), University of California, Berkeley, and from Georgetown University.  He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency at The Pentagon, where he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal (see, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commendation_Medal#Joint_Service).  Mr. Naegele is an Independent politically; and he is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, and Who's Who in Finance and Business.  He has written extensively over the years (see, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/articles/ and https://naegeleknol.wordpress.com/articles/), and studied photography with Ansel Adams.  He can be contacted directly at [email protected]

[2]  See, e.g., https://www.foxnews.com/us/border-czar-tom-homan-reveals-unprecedented-success-trumps-border-strategy ("Border Patrol reports record 24-hour low 95 southern border crossing")

Has ICE arrested the Iranian Amir (or Mohammed) Abri, who threatened my life; and shipped him back to Iran or to the worst prison in El Salvador; where he belongs?

See https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2025/01/17/injustices-at-eah/ ("A Fish Rots From The Head Down")

[3]  See, e.g., https://ktla.com/news/local-news/popular-swap-meet-canceled-due-to-possible-ice-activity/ ("Popular Southern California swap meet canceled due to possible ICE activity")

[4]  See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University,_Channel_Islands ("California State University, Channel Islands")

[5]  See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2025/07/19/is-trump-killing-americas-homeless/ ("Is Trump Killing America's Homeless")

[6]  See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Contra_affair ("Iran–Contra affair")