President Trump

   Effective today, Donald J. Trump is the 45th President of the United States. But he is not the 45th person to hold that job, as an MSNBC anchor said today. He is the 44th. Grover Cleveland served two terms as President, but they were not consecutive, so he is ranked the 22nd President and the 24th President. In between, Cleveland was defeated by Benjamin Harrison, who served as the 23rd President.
   Another news anchor referred to Melania Trump, a native of Slovenia, as only the second First Lady to be born overseas. True, but who was the first? It was Louisa Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams. She was born in London, and moved to America with her father, who was a citizen of Maryland.
   
   Perhaps the most important phrase in President Trump's inaugural address was when he spoke of "radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate from the face of the Earth."
   Couple that with the fact that of the six religious leaders to offer opening prayers and benedictions at the inauguration ceremony, there were five Christians and one Jewish rabbi.
   If a President's goal is to bring unity to a divided country, ignoring the nearly six million Muslim Americans by not having them represented at the inauguration, while implicitly threatening war against others who also follow that faith, then one can only wonder what the consequences will be.
   The big question, however, remains this: What kind of President will Trump be? We know what his campaign rhetoric was, as well as his attack tweets sent out to millions around the world.
   Whether he modifies his sword-rattling talk and seeks peace and prosperity for all remains to be seen. His inauguration speech emphasized the slogan, "America first," and suggested that all other nations should do what this President says. This attitude also implies that Congress will fall in line and follow all White House orders and directives.
   Don't count on that one, either.
   The whole world is watching.