Former President Barack Obama did not have one cabinet member that came from the private sector. President Trump has brought the boardroom with him to the White House.
Trump’s entourage is a rotating cast of business leaders, political figures and activists who are hoping to bend his ear. He routinely holds court at least twice a week and usually more. Like a CEO, Trump presides over some of the most brilliant minds in government who offer him advice and their own invaluable experience.
There is no doubt the billionaire real estate mogul and showman has a huge ego. The surprising part of that persona is his willingness to listen to others and has on occasion reversed course due to other people’s advice.
There is a hands-on approach to governing that Trump promised during the campaign. He craves human interaction from his business empire experience. He is going to do what works for him and has been successful in the past. It could be construed that his board meetings are like his brown bag lunch.
A typical day for Trump may start with a “listening session” with the Retail Industry Leaders Association, a breakfast with airline industry officials and a conversation with county sheriffs. He is all ears to those who lead the various industries and businesses he needs to know well.
Trump has spent a great deal of time with experts in the healthcare industry. He is anxious for the professionals to tell him all they know to make the right decisions on repeal or change with Obamacare. The president, Vice President Pence and Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price listened to what the industry leaders said and promised to help.
Meetings are usually scheduled in the Roosevelt Room. It was often used for the same purpose by former Presidents Obama and Bush. A great deal of government business is generated including legislative and policy agendas.
Trump enjoys the conference-room-style locale. It is all too familiar to a man who has built a billion dollar empire. Dwight Eisenhower emphasized his military experience and delegated tasks the way he would with subordinate officers. Herbert Hoover, who brought a business background, also sought to approach matters with that mindset.
Trump is a man who makes his decisions based on the best possible advice from those closest to the problem. Like any successful businessman, he knows nothing good will come from making decisions alone without solid advice. He is making deals, so to speak, for the American people.
America elected a man who is from the private sector. He has never been a politician, is not beholden to any special interest groups and rejects lobbying efforts. Trump has hired thousands of workers from around the world and met huge payrolls for decades. He is in fact the first genuine business professional since Herbert Hoover assumed the office almost 90-years-ago.
