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As President Donald Trump nears 100 days in office, many Greene County voters said they approve of how he's done so far. Trump's critics, meanwhile, have mixed feelings about the president's foreign policy.
(Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com)
BEAVERCREEK, Ohio--Greene County residents' opinions about President Donald Trump during his first 100 days in office haven't swayed much because of his actions on hot-button issues such as immigration and foreign trade.
But his increasingly interventionist foreign policy is raising some eyebrows in this conservative county east of Dayton - for better or for worse.
Ohio Matters is a series examining important national issues through the eyes of people living across the state.
Many Trump voters here approvingly say that the president has followed through on campaign promises to fight for American jobs and prestige around the world. Some are disenchanted with his failed attempts at a Muslim travel ban and healthcare reform, though supporters say he needs more time and blame Democrats for obstructing his agenda.
Hillary Clinton voters here, meanwhile, say Trump's domestic agenda has been just as bad as they anticipated it would be. But Trump's foreign policy has thrown them for a loop -- some feel his military actions in Syria and Afghanistan have been an improvement on President Barack Obama's policies, while others worry it's a prelude to World War III.
We asked several Greene County voters to grade Trump on his first 100 days in office and explain their reasoning. Here's what they said.
Troy Beck
Troy Beck
Hometown:
Xenia
Grade:
C
Beck, who co-owns a vintage boutique store in downtown Xenia, previously told cleveland.com that voted for Trump because he likes the billionaire businessman's focus on helping American businesses and manufacturing companies.
Three months into his presidency, Beck said, Trump has kept that focus.
"I know that he is 100 percent for making our country better again," the 49-year-old California native said. "With the trade and stuff, he's not going to let countries take advantage of us without us getting something back in return. I like that. I like how he's trying to keep the jobs [and] give incentives to companies to keep manufacturing here."
But at the same time, Beck said, he doesn't like how Trump has moved to replace Obamacare and impose a temporary ban on travel to and from some Muslim-majority countries.
Beck believes Obamacare should be tweaked but not replaced. And while he agrees that terror suspects should be prevented from entering the country, he doesn't believe that a total immigration ban should be in place.
"That's what the United States is about. You just can't say 'no, you can't come here' from that country or this country," Beck said. "It just, it's not the way we should be."
In addition, Beck said, he thinks Trump hasn't done a good job communicating.
"I don't think the president should be using a Twitter account to communicate with the people in the United States," Beck said. "I know he's probably trying to be, you know, up with the times and stuff, but I don't really see a president using a Twitter account. That seems sort of immature."
Kevin Cherry
Kevin Cherry
Hometown:
Beavercreek
Grade:
A-minus
While snipping hair at his father's barbershop in downtown Fairborn, 52-year-old Kevin Cherry said he's been happy with Trump during the president's first 100 days in office.
"I think he's doing all right," said Cherry, who voted for the president. "He's followed through on his promises so far. I know there's a long way to go...but he can't fix everything overnight."
Cherry said he likes how Trump is focusing on building up America economically and militarily.
"We need to concentrate on our people here at home, compared to taking care of all of these other countries," he said.
Asked why he didn't give Trump an A-plus, Cherry said he never gives perfect scores to anyone.
My gym teacher used to tell me there are only two things that are perfect - fools and God," he said.
Heather Harris
Heather Harris
Hometown: Xenia
Grade: F
Harris, stopped by a reporter in downtown Xenia, didn't vote for Trump. And so far, she said, the president has done even worse than she expected.
"You know, Obama was in there for eight years and never started a World War III," said the 37-year-old, who's taking time off from her job at Little Caesars pizza because of a work injury.
Asked if she believed Trump will start World War III, she said "he's headed that way," pointing to the president's decision to bomb in Syria and Afghanistan.
"I think he's prejudiced against a lot of countries, because he's messing with a lot of people's lives," she said.
David Johnson
David Johnson
Hometown:
Beavercreek
Grade:
B
Johnson, a 58-year-old military veteran who now works as a field technician for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, voted for Trump and has been largely satisfied with what the president's done so far.
"Congress still has to write the laws. He can only do so much," Johnson said of Trump. "He's doing the best that he can."
Trump, he said, is pragmatic and "a lot better than our other choices" for president. "I'd rather see somebody try to do things that are more foundational and more meaningful for the country, as opposed to being philosophical [and having] pie-in-the-sky arguments," Johnson said.
Johnson also said he didn't agree with the criticism the president and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer are facing regarding their dealings with the media.
"I would not feel bad if the president didn't have a news conference every day, with the press secretary," he said. "Let the president do his job."
Gerry Petrak
Gerry Petrak
Hometown:
Beavercreek
Grade:
B
Petrak, a retired elementary school teacher, voted for Hillary Clinton and doesn't like Trump overall. But when it comes to the president's foreign policy, she's been pleasantly surprised.
Petrak said she likes Trump's "strong stand" against Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad after a chemical-weapons attack against civilians, as well as his use of the "mother of all bombs" against ISIS forces in Afghanistan. She noted that such actions went against Trump's isolationist rhetoric during last year's presidential campaign.
"I liked a lot of things about Obama, but [there was] that red line he drew, and then he didn't carry through with it," she said. "And now Trump is."
But Petrak said her praise for Trump is strictly limited to international affairs. "I'm not with him on the domestic scene at all," she said. "I think people have a right to have health care."
She also said she's been "very disappointed" with Trump's decision to roll back clean water rules.
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