President Trump has revealed himself to be an absentee leader. His training started being an absentee landlord dependent upon others to execute operations. This is not leadership, but a management style.

Leadership requires a vision and a set of core values that one believes in and coherently articulates. Trump’s talent is his ability to brand and set intermediate goals: a new hotel, a skyscraper with his name on it, or the presidency.

When Emmanuel Macron turned to Angela Merkel in Brussels yesterday, he affirmed what many have known. She is a world leader – the true leader of the NATO alliance. Domestically, Mr. Trump was MIA on leading the substantive direction of the AHCA. Hopefully the hard lesson for the American people is that a self-centered, self-promoter who blows in the wind will forever flip-flop on public policy.

Our president may twist arms and make politically calculated telephone calls; however, force of personality should not be confused with strength of leadership. Leaders command respect. Bullies command loyalty.

John Catalano, Columbus, N.C.