[Insight & Opinion] The United States Chose a Leader Who Knows How to Get Things Done

Trump Puts Forward Creative Musk,
Wins Over Americans with Strategy, Experience, and Decisiveness
Korea Also Needs Leaders Who Can Get Things Done, Not Just Agitators

Not long ago, I wrote that what we need is a leader with practical skills rather than a former judge or prosecutor with academic intelligence. Such a leader must not only raise big issues but also pay attention to details; rather than recklessly charging forward while taking hits, they should have the strategy to avoid those hits. They must respond clearly and precisely to every issue, not vaguely or ambiguously.

Camilla Harris, when running for president, confidently stated as her first remark that her long experience as a prosecutor gave her a good understanding of a person like Trump. She aimed to brand Trump, who was indicted on four criminal charges, as a criminal and bring him down. Contrary to polls and media predictions that expected a tight race, the election results showed that despite being indicted, Trump won a landslide victory as the 47th president of the United States. Voters chose a candidate who appeared to have the strategy, experience, and decisiveness to navigate difficult domestic and international issues such as global conflicts, economic uncertainty, and future anxieties including jobs.

Trump is a tycoon who succeeded in various businesses including real estate development, possessing seasoned experience and drive. For over ten years, he hosted NBC’s The Apprentice show, where contestants were eliminated weekly through tasks, and his famous phrase “You’re fired” left an impression of him as a person with attention to detail and decisiveness.

Moreover, putting Elon Musk at the forefront was a masterstroke. I have often praised Musk as someone who defines problems best and has the genius creativity to solve them. SpaceX, Hyperloop, Neuralink, and Tesla’s design and production innovations all reflect Musk’s problem-solving approach. In any case, Trump put forward the person recognized as the most effective doer of this era. It is said that Musk will be responsible for government innovation and efficiency in the next administration as well.

Trump and Musk share many similarities. Both became among the world’s richest through business success. However, neither is particularly moral. Both have complicated histories with women, including involvement in sexual harassment and assault allegations, multiple divorces and remarriages, and several children from these relationships.

There is concern that many decisions Trump makes as he begins his work might come across the Pacific and hit us like a huge tsunami. Some tycoons seem to be trying hard to connect with Trump’s side, but what about our political circles leading the country?

Since the new administration took office, it has prevented any changes to government organizations, impeached as many as 22 people including cabinet members, various committee chairs, and prosecutors, causing disruptions in government operations. It has also engaged in unilateral, hasty legislation and arbitrarily cut budgets necessary for ministry operations, showing tyrannical behavior.

Eventually, the president recognized these obstructive acts against government operations as a disturbance of national order, declared martial law, and ended up being impeached and facing legal judgment. Facing resistance from the opposition and allied forces, the administration failed to accomplish any of its proposed reforms and created an impeachment crisis that exploded national issues.

The political sphere must focus on caring for the nation and its people, not on its own demise. It must accurately understand reality, find the clues to problems, and have strategies and meticulousness to solve them. The people want politicians who know how to work and actually do work. At this point, politicians skilled in incitement should be removed. The public should also avoid being swayed by agitation and choose those who know how to get things done.

Kim Hong-jin, CEO of Work Innovation Lab