I can be let down by Trump without regretting voting for him | Opinion

Critics from the right and left slammed President Donald Trump for posting a racist video on his social media on Feb. 5. The post was deleted, but it prompted some denouncements from across the political spectrum and put supporters back in the hot seat.

I watched the video. The tail end − which depicted the Obamas as apes − was crude, racist and in poor taste. The entire clip didn't even make sense because the first part of the video was about voting.

Trump explained to members of the media that he hadn't seen the whole video but didn't apologize for sharing it, even though his team took it down. I think Trump should have apologized. The fact that the video exists at all is awful.

I’m a conservative who voted for Trump. I don’t like everything he says and does. I wrestle with why and how Trump chooses to act the way he does. That social media incident is one example. In October, Trump posted an AI-generated video attacking Democrats. Social media is Trump's playground, and he is the 8-year-old immature bully.

But if the election were held today, I’d vote for him again, and so would millions of other Americans. That doesn't make us racist, bigots, weird or stupid. I reject the notion that this means we are complicit in his poor choices or mistakes.

Trump is an awful person, but I'm not responsible for his decisions

Trump is no paragon of virtue. Whether it's his 2024 conviction on felony charges related to falsifying business records tied to hush money payments, or smearing slain director Rob Reiner on social media, Trump's character is questionable and off-putting, and at times immoral and unethical.

Of course, I wish Trump's actions and words were always moral, ethical and wise. If he embodied these virtues, it would give his opponents less to criticize. I expect better. All Americans should, as a matter of moral purity and public pride.

Still, conservatives like me often feel the need to apologize for him, defend our vote and explain our support of Trump. Although I understand the need to blame voters, it's frustrating. I don't think I'm responsible for every choice he makes just because I voted for him to lead the country.

But we aren’t choosing a spouse to marry when we vote. We are choosing a leader for just four years in an essentially binary system. Few modern leaders boast the entire package.

That goes for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris. And so we choose the best of the two dominant political parties. An election is a transactional relationship, not a covenant marriage. We chose Trump, for better or worse. I think it's ultimately for the better.

Of course I would vote for Trump again

I'd vote for Trump again because he was the best choice to implement policies I value that really matter. More than 77 million Americans agreed with me then, and many still do now.

In a 2025 interview, CNN's Van Jones asked three Black voters if they would vote for Trump if they "had to do it all over again." All three said yes. He seemed shocked. I'm not. An April Emerson College poll of registered voters found that 94% of Trump voters said they would vote for him again. That was before the video, but I doubt those voters would change their minds now.

I can tell you why. In a new Gallup global survey of national priorities, a median of 23% of adults said the economy was the most important problem. Yet almost 50% of Americans expect economic growth in 2026. That's probably because Trump's economy is humming along.

Gross domestic product growth is steady. Inflation has subsided to 2.7%. In January, the United States added 130,000 jobs, and unemployment fell to 4.3%. Under Biden, Americans saw record-high inflation, which outpaced wages for over two years and led to skyrocketing gas prices.

It's almost time for Americans to pay their taxes, but 2026 will be better for most. Trump extended his own 2017 tax cuts, which were set to expire. In the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Trump doubled the standard deduction, increased the child tax credit − which means families pay fewer taxes − and lowered individual tax rates. For this single mom of four, that's helpful.

As a Christian and conservative, I wish Trump would keep his side of the street clean, just because it's right. It would also force his opponents to attack only his policies, not his poor choices or character. I'm not the only voter who wrestles with this, but I have also made peace with the fact that democracy is imperfect and that politicians are flawed. Maybe next cycle we'll get to choose between two incredible people.

But for now, Trump's improving America more than Harris ever could have. That's why I'd vote for him again, even if I keep having to defend it.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.