Trump is the fighter the U.S. needs

Ingrained in the American spirit is to fight. Fighting for our country, fighting for our values, fighting to leave our home better than we found it.

Last Saturday was another typical weekend during an election year. I went straight from speaking at an event in Burlington and sped over to Mount Pleasant to address another gathering of local Republicans. When I arrived, I was quickly met with someone showing me their phone, livestreaming the news about the assassination attempt against President Donald Trump. There were emotional reactions from folks in the room, and murmurs from groups just trying to figure out if he was alive or dead.

When I got home, like many Americans, I turned on the news and watched the replay over, and over, and over again of the few minutes that could have changed the trajectory of American history. The most striking moment was not seeing the assassin's bullet pierce President Donald Trump’s ear, but his instinct — fight.

You have to think that most people who are shot, or who are in the cross hairs of multiple rounds of gunfire would crawl their way off the stage in whatever fashion they could. Not Trump. Defiantly telling his Secret Service detail to stop, squeezing his way out of the agents body shield, and visibly shaking his fist to the whole world the words that have stuck with many — fight.

Since the age of Trump, myself, along with other Republicans, have at times questioned his unorthodox style of leadership. At times enjoying every bit of it as he dresses down members of the legacy media, and on occasion wishing he could show some discretion on social media. However, I have come to see something in President Donald Trump I never have before; the fighter we need at this moment in American history.

As we look across the world, we see utter chaos on Joe Biden’s watch. A war that should have never started in Europe, Hamas terrorists brazenly killing innocent Israeli citizens, and a Chinese Communist Party that has openly advertised their intent to invade Taiwan. Our adversaries who once stood down to President Donald Trump are now empowered under President Biden.

Weakness emboldens our enemies, but strength keeps them at bay. This November we have a choice between a weak and feeble leader, who not only fails to display strength abroad, but can’t even carry himself up the steps of Air Force One. On the other hand, we have a leader who stood to his feet with blood dripping down his face, to tell America’s enemies that we will not fall, and reminded Americans of the strength we still have.

Taylor Collins of Mediapolis represents House District 95 in the Iowa Legislature.