By David W. Marshall
(Trice Edney Wire) – There are some things we never give a second thought because our nation has timeless traditions that are easily taken for granted.
The 61st U.S. presidential inauguration will occur on Saturday, January 20, 2029, and tradition has it that the incoming and outgoing presidents meet at the White House before traveling together to the Capitol for the formal swearing-in ceremony.
The customary practice was broken when Donald Trump, at the end of his first term, decided not to host the traditional pre-inauguration coffee or travel to the Capitol with the newly elected Joe Biden. He became the first outgoing U.S. president to skip his successor’s swearing-in ceremony in over 150 years. While broken traditions have become common place with the Trump administration, the 22nd Amendment states that no person can be elected to the office of the president more than twice. Therefore, with a free and fair election the next president will be someone other than Donald Trump.
With Trump again serving as the outgoing president, will we have the traditional transfer of power in January 2029? How many broken traditions will continue after he leaves power, or worse, how many will become permanent beyond repair? It is not about Donald Trump the person, it is about those who have the honor of having the position also have the responsibility to uphold the institution of the presidency.
Our military has many long-held traditions. One has to wonder what will be the long-term damage to America’s military with this current administration. The leadership of Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during the Iran war has caused a severe strain on the U.S. military. Critics, lawmakers and military families point to the perceived erosion of institutional competence and transparency. Critics and former officials accuse Hegseth of putting aside experienced warfighters and bypassing merit-based military norms in favor of loyalists. The common practices surrounding naval deployment has rarely made national news as in the case of the USS Abraham Lincoln. The aircraft carrier spent roughly nine months on total deployment, including more than 250 to 272 consecutive days at sea without a port visit – a record for an aircraft carrier in modern times. The extended mission drew public scrutiny with reports alleging poor living conditions on the ship, including food shortages, water contamination, moldy showers and broken toilets and laundry machines. No soap, deodorant or toothpaste.
The warship, with a 5,000-plus crew, was originally intended for the Pacific but was redirected to the Middle East once the war with Iran began. Military families and Congress members began expressing concern about the intensifying mental health crisis onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Two leading specialist military papers, the Navy Times and Stars and Stripes reported that there were multiple attempts by sailors to jump overboard as poor conditions and mental stress reached the breaking point. Despite the scrutiny, President Trump told reporters that the USS Abraham Lincoln hadn’t been deployed “nearly long enough.” He added that the sailors spent a “good period of time” at sea, but said that “over the years, we’ve had them out there much longer,” The Guardian reported.
We should not be surprised by Trump’s comments as Commander-in-Chief. We should not be surprised that this particular president, as the supreme civilian leader of the military, is failing to ensure that troop deployment serve clear national security objectives while minimizing unnecessary risks. We should not be surprised that there are reports that the Navy is seeking to name an aircraft carrier after Trump which would be unprecedented for a sitting president. This would be another broken tradition by someone who has little or no respect for the institution of the presidency. The naming of the aircraft carrier gets worse because it means removing honor from Doris Miller and giving it to an individual who expressed little concern for the welfare and safety of the USS Abraham Lincoln crew.
The USS Doris Miller, which is currently being built, was named in 2020. It is the first aircraft carrier named after a Black American and the first to honor the heroism of an enlisted sailor. Miller served in the Navy as a Mess Attendant Third Class, one of the few positions available to Black sailors at the time. On Dec. 7, 1941, Miller was aboard the USS West Virginia when Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor. Although, he was never trained as an anti-aircraft gunner, Miller reportedly took control of an anti-aircraft gun and fired at Japanese aircraft during the attack. He also helped care for wounded sailors during the chaos. In 1942, Miller received the Navy Cross for his heroism making him the first Black sailor to earn the prestigious award. Should the Navy decide to change the name, they would be naming it after a person with little regard for presidential and military traditions. It would not only be an insult to Doris Miller’s family and his legacy, but it would be another insult to the 5,000 crew members who President Trump believed had a “good period of time” at sea. Ironically, the plans to name the future aircraft carrier after Miller were announced on MLK Day in 2020 during President Trump’s first term.
David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America.
