There is a public opinion that likes “Make America Great Again” but dislikes Trump.

This voting segment that is inclined to support Trump in 2024 tries to resolve this dilemma by differentiating between Trump MAGA policies and Trump the person.

This differentiation, however, is internally flawed as justification to vote for Trump because our president simultaneously wears two hats. The structural form of our government inherently does not allow for that differentiation between the President’s combined and inseparable roles as head of government (politics) and head of state/nation (sovereignty).

Trump knows this but fails to recognize it (either intentionally or carelessly, but either way it’s damning) and to accordingly alter and mandatorily comport his behavior!

As background, for argument appreciation, the United States as a single presidential system does not have a separate head of government and head of state. Our president acts in unison as both heads. The ceremonial and grandeur sovereignty role of head of nation is merged into the executive political-powers role of head of government, as one and the same. Many democratic countries, in some form, maintain separate heads for government and state.

The United Kingdom, for example, has a monarch as its head of nation and a prime minister as its head of government. Despite its constant fluidity in national politics and parliamentary coalitions, the United Kingdom has managed rather steadily to maintain its national stability, unity, and identity, and customs and norms (albeit with spotty irregularities) because of the public persona role of its head of nation (formerly Queen Elizabeth and now King Charles III) in solidifying the nation.

Greece is an example, among many similar countries, of having a prime minister as head of government, engaged in political discourse and policy pronunciations, and a president as head of state, embodying the political collectiveness and sovereign continuity of the nation.

Whether one sees Trump’s MAGA policies as duly serving America and the public good is not the moral thesis of this article. The argument here is unconcerned with Republican versus Democratic politics or conservative versus liberal ideologies.

It’s about the moral leadership of our nation and what kind of people we are and what values we dearly espouse. Without a moral compass, neither a liberal nor conservative democratic nation will ultimately stand.

Trump has miserably failed as head of nation. As mentioned above, the perception of MAGA and the policies and role of Trump as the chief executive officer of our government go without review, analysis, and opinion here.

It is his abominable record as head of nation and of character that is assessed, a record tainted with wicked characteristic traits and of factionalizing and polarizing the nation and chiseling its pillars of democracy.

Trump’s lack of public decency and civility are his character’s trademark. His documented modus operandi is bullying, name-calling, berating, lying, cheating, exploiting, etc., etc. His reductive conclusions and vacuous arguments hoodwink, and instigate divisiveness, instability, and foster a host of phobias and prejudices.

These pernicious, irrational, and outrageous characteristics are distressingly being normalized by his proliferating cult-like folks, with the far-right corporate media being guilty of complicity.

Have we as Americans become so morally benumbed or occluded in our vision to the dishonesty, cowardliness, and vanity in “The Emperor’s New Clothes” reign? Are these the values we as a people desire to instill in our children and grandchildren?

Trump’s very own cabinet secretaries and senior staffers have rung multi-alarm fire bells of Trump’s amoral and immoral character and incompetency, with comments on the record ranging from Trump having no respect for the Constitution to being dangerous to being the worst person ever met, etc.

Rather than show national cohesiveness and foster community and common bonds, Trump divides, separates, and tears the American social fabric. Rather than encourage unified pride in a national identity as Americans, Trump pits us versus them and they. Rather than tell truths, Trump says falsehoods or “alternative facts.” Rather than console and calm, Trump instigates drama and rancor. Rather than navigate to lawfulness and order, Trump threatens and incites riots and disorder.

These are not the prerequisite and essential traits of a head of state. Richard Nixon, disgraced in the wake of Watergate, upheld the integrity of the presidency by resigning for the sake of country. Ronald Reagan, despite what one thought of his revolutionary “Reaganomics,” conducted himself with utmost respect, dignity, and reverence for the office. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who had a polling projected landslide-win and did win the popular vote in 2016, gave a gracious and conciliatory speech conceding her defeat and extolling the American virtues of the peaceful and orderly transfer of power. The legacy of George Washington commendably endures because at its core are integrity and good character.

There is no suggestion or implication, to be clear, that if the U.S. had a dual-executive form of government, with separate heads of government and nation, that the gravely fatal characteristic flaws of Trump would be permissible or excusable. Bad character is bad; unhealthy and perilous, irrespective.

The probative premise, apposite to the argument here, is that in our single executive system we simply do not have a distinct head of nation to promote the national stability, unity, and identity, exude good public manners and grace, and safeguard against civil strife. Thus, this solemn responsibility and duty, for which Trump is utterly unfit, also heavily rests with our head of government.

Trump’s openly personal threats of seeking retribution against those who politically refuted or legally prosecuted him and his political agenda to strip the checks-and-balances power in our branches of government and concentrate power in the executive (him) are not hyperbole but manifestations of his egocentric sinister character. It was Hitler’s demented character which turned Germany from a democracy to a dictatorship in 1933 and perpetrated genocides and atrocities.

Ill-motives even aside, Trump is just so blind and deaf to the destructive, damaging, and hurtful things he says and does as a public persona of this nation. Just listen and watch him – who talks like that!? Trump conducts himself more like a mafioso boss, with his cronies, (the same con way he did business by the way) than a dignified and respected leader.

Hence, the dilemma. May the conscience of this nation, individually and collectively, be guided righteously to ensure that America continues to be the shining beacon of the world.

Michael Manoussos is the founding and managing member of Michael Manoussos & Co PLLC, a New York law firm.