Opinion | Trump Wants an Apprentice

Mr. Trump’s candidacy and presidency had been, mockingly, his fifteenth season of “The Apprentice.” Deliberately or not, he educated younger Republicans in countering Democrats and resisting a predominantly hostile media. Distinction Mr. Trump’s pugnacious 2016 run with the weak-kneed timidity of the McCain and Romney campaigns. It’s no surprise a brand new era of Republicans discovered the expertise novel and instructive. Unwittingly, Mr. Trump himself grew to become essentially the most persuasive argument for his stepping apart.

You don’t must be

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

to rely the methods one other shot on the White Home can be unhealthy for Mr. Trump. His model might be irreparably broken if he suffers one other loss. He’ll all the time declare the 2020 election was stolen and perpetually keep his standing as a winner. However ought to he be defeated within the 2024 basic election (or, much more embarrassingly, the first), he can’t cry foul once more. No person likes a sore loser—particularly a two-time loser.

Additional, a 2024 Trump loss within the basic election would doom the Republicans to a different 4 years out of the White Home. Republicans would perpetually resent the previous president for losing the chance, and Mr. Trump would rapidly flip from get together redeemer to pariah.

It’s a lot wiser for Mr. Trump to play the position of kingmaker. He can throw his bombastic assist behind a youthful candidate who shares his Republican bona fides with little danger to himself. Florida Gov.

Ron DeSantis

is an apparent alternative. In 2024, assuming he’s re-elected this November, Mr. DeSantis could have six years of political seasoning since his election in 2018.

He’s way more palatable than Mr. Trump and unencumbered by the previous president’s tough edges, imply tweets and pettiness. But Mr. DeSantis has the fortitude to endure harsh criticism with out caving in, as his administration of the pandemic and the “Don’t Say Homosexual” controversy show.

It’s laborious to think about a extra appropriate apprentice for Mr. Trump. However there are different succesful 2024 flag-bearers, amongst them

Nikki Haley,

Gov.

Kristi Noem

and

Mike Pompeo,

all consonant with Mr. Trump’s political opinions however nonetheless unbiased thinkers. Any can be a worthy successor however not a slavish clone.

Mr. Trump can win a second time period with out placing his identify on the poll. Irrespective of which successor will get the nod, it’s time for Mr. Trump to step apart and inform that individual, “You’re employed!”

Mr. Opelka is a musical-theater composer-lyricist.