"Our first president could have remained all-powerful but chose not to twice. In doing so, he set a standard for all presidents to live up to. Washington modeled what it means to put the good of the nation over self-interest and selfish ambition. He embodied integrity and modeled why it's worth aspiring to. He carried himself with dignity and self-restraint, honoring the office without allowing it to become invested with near-mythical powers."
"That's what, back in the day, we would have called a subtweet directed at one Donald Trump. And it's not a new observation about the founding father, but I just wonder I mean, is he right that Trump is really kind of pushing back and defying the George Washington model for the presidency? Well, I read the essay, and I thought it was a wonderful essay celebrating George Washington, who's an incredible founding father."
George W. Bush praised George Washington's choice to relinquish power and set a standard of placing the nation's interest above personal ambition. The praise emphasized Washington's integrity, dignity, and self-restraint, and warned against investing the office with near-mythical powers. Some interpreted those descriptions as implicitly contrasting with Donald Trump's conduct and as a veiled critique. Others described the statements as an occasion to honor Washington's example rather than as targeted anti-Trump rhetoric, noting differences in eras and the presence of modern social media. Observers asked whether the praise carried any substantive policy critique or was primarily symbolic. The exchange highlighted tensions about presidential norms and contemporary expectations.
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