By What Authority by Maree Sobolewski

“By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?”

– Mark 11:28

Despite his claims that “I am the only one who can save this nation” during his 2024 campaign and “I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a reason: I was saved by God to make America great again” in his inauguration address, President Donald Trump came to power surrounded by many moral, ethical, and legal issues. A comparison with the leadership of Jesus, God the Father’s elected king, would suggest that Trump is not “God’s elect,” called to save America as he would declare himself to be—at least not in the manner he has chosen and the excessiveness of his actions. There is a chasm of difference between the values and actions of Jesus and those of Trump. Not everyone in authority is of God, which may be defined as exercising authority in a God-directed manner.

Humility

Jesus taught and lived a life of humble service. He washed the feet of his apostles and warned them not to follow the examples of the Pharisees who, with their elevated egos, heart neglect, and arrogance, he called “whitewashed tombs” and “blind fools.” His apostles were not to “lord it over the people assigned to their care,” but to “lead them by their own good example” (1 Pet 5:3) to bring about a kingdom of goodwill, according to his teachings, where everyone benefitted.

Jesus’s relationship with other cultures was fraternal, as indicated by his outreach to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:4-42) and the Roman centurion whose daughter was dying (Matt 8:5-13). He cried for his people and their suffering. He did not subvert the voice of anyone, nor did he seek success by dominating or exploiting others. His style was invitational and measured.

Contrast this with the behavior of Trump, who has compared himself to Napoleon with the words: “He who saves his country does not violate any law.” He reinforced this with an egotistical posting of an image of himself as the crowned king, captioned “Long live the King.” Under his “monarchical rule,” the law has become optional for him. He has undermined the authority of Congress and ignored the judicial system and the individual’s right to due process. He has attacked independent institutions, buffers against tyranny, including universities, nonprofits, lawyers and law firms, and the media.

Without fairness or any due process, and with Elon Musk’s “chainsaw” approach, hundreds of thousands of government workers found themselves abruptly fired. Without due process and against court rulings, US residents are being cruelly displaced without a home or country to call their own, including the heartless and careless removal of a four-year-old child undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer. Trump has also threatened retribution for legal firms that have worked against his policies or represented an “enemy” of his in the past. Some firms have lost government contracts and others have yielded to Trump’s threats by agreeing to do millions of dollars of pro bono work for the government.

Trump has also lacked humility in his relations with other nations. Fraternal they have not been with his coveting of Canada, Panama, and Greenland. Globally, his tariff war is destabilizing many friendly nations. The principle Trump works on, posted on Truth Social, is “He who has the gold makes the rules.” 

Ending waste, fraud, and abuse is the right of any government, but a methodology where there is little collaboration, humility, compassion, or due process, that violates the structures that uphold the nation and its value system, and that works to overpower and control other nations is tyrannical. It is contrary to the ways of Jesus. Jesus’s humble birth in a manger surely illustrates the profound importance of humility to any civilization.

Compassion

Jesus advocated for the care of the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and the marginalized who suffered at the hands of the leaders of the day. Jesus spoke into this disordered world and called for compassion. Jesus, in fact, is compassion incarnate: he healed the sick, comforted those who were grieving, and cared for the body, spirit, and soul of everyone he encountered. At the start of his ministry, he stated he had come to set the burdened and battered free (Luke 4:18-19). For Jesus, a lack of concern for the poor is not a minor oversight but reveals that a person is at odds with God.

Under Jesus’s leadership, there are no class or cultural barriers to receiving care. The “inclusive” story of the Good Samaritan shows us that everyone is potentially our neighbor, whom we are to love in the same manner as we love ourselves. This is the greatest expectation God has of us (cf. Mark 12:31). It is the founding principle and starting point for God’s elect, not wealth and transactional relationships.

Jesus, aware of our anxieties, demonstrated in the multiplication of the loaves and fishes that there is more than enough to go around. A small act of generosity blessed by God will multiply; goodwill will beget goodwill. This is in contrast to Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s narrow perspective on love, publicly corrected by Pope Francis.

Working within a wealth-and-transaction paradigm and the idea of a scarcity of resources, Trump has not reached out to the poor and marginalized whom he sees as having nothing to offer, but in fact increases their suffering. The executive order to eliminate the education department, for example, and proposed cuts to Medicaid in the budget reconciliation bill now in Congress will negatively impact many citizens. The cancellation of services for addiction prevention and victim advocacy, as they do not align with Trump’s “equality” priorities, will cause additional suffering. USAID has been effectively disbanded, leaving many desperate people, including babies and children, destitute. Money saved in these government restructurings will go to support the wealthy, with Trump’s promise of billions of dollars of tax reductions.

Without compassion, migrants, the “strangers in our midst,” are scapegoated and deported. Rather than taking a fair and reasoned approach, Trump has resurrected the contextually dubious 1798 Alien Enemies Act to enforce this cruel and ruthless mass deportation program. Without due process, against numerous court orders, Trump is “ridding” America of migrants with ICE knocking on the doors of churches, “trespassing” private homes, nabbing migrants in courtrooms, and kidnapping students off the streets. Without any warning or opportunity to defend themselves—a constitutional right—thousands are being exiled, shipped to violent prisons in foreign countries, separated from their families and communities. Green cards, visas, or residency status are no guarantee of protection.

Empathy

Jesus’s ministry was defined by a radical empathy, not indifference. He placed a value on both the capacity to feel another person’s sufferings and to be moved to action by it. Jesus was always sensitive to the plight of others without exception, as, for example, the woman with the hemorrhage who was described as “bent over” and unable to “stand up straight” (Luke 13:10-17). He defied Jewish norms in this encounter and so many others. Ultimately, he died for all of us, not just one particular group. He was able to put himself in the “shoes” of another.

The apostles followed his lead in action and words. John stated, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17). Pity in this verse is related to empathy, and both require action. The apostle Paul also encouraged an active empathy, admonishing his hearers to “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).

Empathy has been lacking in the Trump administration’s attitude towards workers, the marginalized, migrants, and even other democratic nations. Trump’s former right-hand man Musk has stated that empathy was the “fundamental weakness of Western civilization.” This attitude is a trait of those technocrats who wish to build a world where there are no rules except their own. A deal between Trump and technocrats like Peter Thiel and Open AI executive Sam Altman could allow Trump to garnish their AI and surveillance capabilities and further build his authoritarian and often empathy-free regime.

To remove empathy is to dehumanize others, which is not a value of Jesus, the role model for anyone who believes they are called by God to lead. Trump and the wealthy and powerful may temporarily prosper as they achieve their goal of remaking America in their own image, but the masses will not. In the long run, all will suffer. Relationships and communication will fall apart. In the words of the German historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt, “The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.”

Unity

The Christian message is one of radical inclusivity. Although a difficult and continuing task, Jesus always worked for unity in difference through his teachings, ministry, and ultimate sacrifice. His purpose was to unite us in the Father, with one another. As a leader he brought together a diverse team, ranging from Peter the fisherman to Paul the one-time Pharisee. He welcomed Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, all as equals (Gal 3:26) under his care. At his final meal with his disciples, his message was a call to cooperation in union with him. Even after his death, Jesus works through his Spirit to unite us and enable us to be “bread for one another.” There is no room for division under Jesus’s leadership.

In contrast, Trump has poured out divisive rhetoric, provoking anger and fear and further exasperating the divisions already present in American society. This creates an “us and them” view of the world fractured both politically and culturally. A divide-and-conquer approach rather than a conciliatory and synodal approach informs Trump’s decision-making instincts. He is said to thrive on conflict, manipulating it to his advantage. His Easter message posted on Truth Social epitomizes his attitude: “Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well – known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten!”

A lack of unity will not help a nation to prosper. A house divided against itself cannot stand.

Forgiveness

Jesus advocated for a world where love and forgiveness prevail. He always offered forgiveness and not revenge, beautifully illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son and in his death on the cross, where he and his Father meet a guilty world with love. Forgiveness was the balm for unity as expressed in the Lord’s Prayer.

In contrast, Trump has promised and exercised retaliation on all those he has held grudges against and anyone who now stands in the way of his agenda, marring his own integrity and that of his government. His unrestrained, vindictive revenge has many faces, and the grudges often have a long history.

Pardoning the Capitol Hill rioters was an act of revenge, as is his case to impeach those who impeached him. He has cancelled the security protection of John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Brian Hook for slighting or criticizing him in public. Career officials involved in the impeachment cases against him have been purged from the Department of Justice, including special prosecutor Jack Smith. The litany of revenge is never-ending. Whether intended or not, he is making a mockery of what it is to be God’s elect. True courage, confidence, and strength—as opposed to Trump’s projected bluster—has the fortitude to seek and accept forgiveness.

Integrity

Jesus led with integrity. He did not use the unethical tactics of aggressive bullying, lies, misinformation, and abuse to subvert others to his will. He was honest, trustworthy, and respectful of others. He was the “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). In him there is no darkness. He dignified the humanity of all as icons of God and humbly called others to follow him rather than use force. He did not suffer egotistical temper tantrums to get his own way but warned through the teachings of Paul against them: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice” (Eph 4:31-32).

Trump, however, has often behaved without integrity and demeaned and debased just about anybody, spreading misinformation for propaganda purposes. He has stated that USAID is run by “a bunch of radical lunatics.” All immigrants are cast as criminals, and according to Vance and Trump’s pre-election rallies, Haitian migrants eat people’s pets. Judges are stupid, and the journalist whom the government accidentally included on a Signal chat discussing war plans is a “sleazebag.” Then there are Trump’s “temper tantrums,” like his public berating of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Accountability is also an issue for Trump’s government. Checks and balances appear optional, with Trump having fired at least 17 independent inspectors general across federal agencies. Trump is prolific in blaming others when things are not going well for him. For example, at the three-month mark of his presidency, and after three years of continuous growth, he said the decline in the economy is entirely Biden’s fault and not his. His words at a campaign rally in Waco, Texas, in 2023 indicate the extent of his pride and ego: “I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution.” Note that there is no mention of the true “I am” of John’s gospel: Jesus.

Mentorship

Just as Jesus was mentored by his Father, so as a leader he was conscious of being a good role model for those who would follow him. Affirming Jesus was “The Way,” the early Christians even gave this name to their nascent movement.

In contrast, Trump and his team have modeled unethical conduct. They have taught that it is OK to abuse people, promote division, encourage violence, ignore the law, Congress, and the courts, take revenge on anyone who impedes your goals, violate privacy and invade another’s house or church, and treat allies as enemies. It is also OK to take what is not yours, as evidenced by Trump’s threats of annexing Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal.

These are not the seeds of grace that will bear fruit in due season, but seeds that will produce weeds. They are not the seeds of one who is elected by God to rule a nation.

Conclusion

The leadership style that Jesus taught and modeled was neither about command and control, nor status and power, nor persecutions and shadows. It was a matter of character. A character that loved and served all. In contrast, Trump’s is based on a worldview made in his own image and upon wealth and control, supported by the vested interests of others who also “follow” a god made in their own image. Unfortunately, he is binding them to their own unresolved shadows, with some still unable to respond to the hurt and damage he is doing to so many.

It is my hope that Trump and all his team will eat less from their own “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” and more from the only true Tree of Life: God’s life-giving heart of love and wisdom, displayed in the teachings of Jesus. That they will recognize their leader is in need of much prayer, as we all are: prayers that soften his heart in a way that brings his leadership into harmony with God’s true elect, Jesus, and blesses the life of others in turn. Without such a change of heart, the country’s people and its future leaders may know only the way of lawlessness and abuse. A shared humanity will be further shattered, and America will not be great. ♦

Maree Sobolewski is a committed Catholic from Australia. She holds a master of arts in theology and spirituality and is a team member of Catholic Church Reform International. She has worked as an educator, a retreat leader and seminar facilitator, and a school chaplain, and has served as a missionary in Tasmania and the Northwest Territories of Canada. Maree has been actively involved in her parish for most of her adult life. She has served as a board member, prayer group leader, and international event coordinator, among other roles.

Image: James Tissot, Jesus Teaches the People by the Sea, 1886-94.