What Ike would tell Trump: Five lessons from Eisenhower

2. Nurture the opposition

Among the most frequent criticisms of President Barack Obama is his chilly relationship with Congress, even with his own party–but especially with those in the opposing party. Time and again, his aloofness seemed to exacerbate conflicts over policy. He joked about it at a White House Correspondent’s Dinner: “Some folks still don’t think I spend enough time with Congress. ’Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?’ they ask. Really? Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?” The joke fell flat in the room. His critics called it small and dismissive—the opposite of building bridges.

It’s a simple fact of human nature that people are more inclined to listen to you and even help you if they feel a personal connection. Ike could be a warm person but not overly so—in spite of his signature beaming grin. But he did have a gift of common humanity. He despised anything that smacked of imperiousness, and made a point of being accessible, telling his staff that if any member of Congress wanted to speak to him, they should be put through. Most famously, he formed a bond with Democratic Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn and Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson. In what his chief of staff Sherman Adams described as “a bi-party convention in the upstairs Oval Room in the White House,” once a month Ike invited the two men over for drinks and canapés. This bonding—talking about issues in a friendly setting—was a key to Eisenhower’s success. Just as it was for Ronald Reagan, who liked to relax and smoke a cigar with Democratic Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill.

Personally, Trump can be warm and gregarious. He clearly enjoys people. He can also be snappish and insulting when attacked. He calls himself “a big counterpuncher.” However, he has shown openness during the transition—as his public meetings with his most vicious detractor, Mitt Romney, demonstrated. Even though Romney did not apologize to Trump for his loud criticism during the campaign, and was not selected as secretary of state nominee, the meetings, we’re told, went a long way in mending the relationship. What the Romney affair shows is that Trump clearly has the ability to reach out—when he so chooses.