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Trump, Other Presidents Without Pets are the Worst! [1]
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Date: 2025-03-08
Since the office was established in 1789 there have been 45 men who have served as President of the United States. Interestingly, only 3 Presidents did not own pets: Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Donald Trump.
Does this mean anything?
Let Chairman Meow consider the qualities associated with pet owners, presidential ranking, and see if presidential pets matter.
Qualities of Pet Owners
While a lot of bad people own pets, here are the top characteristics of good pet owners:
Compassion and empathy
and empathy Responsibility and commitment
and commitment Patience is a plus
While these are all essential qualities of good human beings, compassion and empathy are the most important according to Buddhist teachings.
In fact, the Dalai Lama himself states that good leaders must be mindful, selfless, and compassionate, adding that:
“Once you have a genuine sense of concern for others, there’s no room for cheating, bullying, or exploitation; instead you can be honest, truthful, and transparent in your conduct.” - Dali Lama
That sounds about right. So, let Teacher Meow examine the only three U.S. Presidents who did not have pets.
Presidents Without Pets:
Only 3 out of 45 U.S. Presidents did not have pets. That is a small minority of less than 7%. Here they are in chronological order:
1. Andrew Jackson:
President Andrew Jackson was a controversial president probably known best for his mistreatment of Native Americans. His Indian Removal Act of 1830 lead to the forced relocation of Native Americans to Oklahoma called the Trail of Tears, which killed thousands.
His nickname of, “King Andrew I” came from his dictatorial actions including frequent use of the presidential veto and willingness to override Congress.
He was also known for his aggressive use of tariffs and the Spoils System which rewarded political supporters with jobs and appointments, and is consistently ranked as the worst President in U.S. history.
2. James K. Polk:
Polk was a polorizing figure and controversial President because of his strong Executive power and aggressive expansionist policies. His strong belief in Manifest Destiny; the idea that the U.S. must expand across North America provoked the Mexican-American War in 1846.
Critics, including a young Abraham Lincoln, called his policies unjust and imperialistic. These policies and the expansion of slavery deepend the divide between the North and South which led to the Civil War.
3. Donald Trump:
Current Populist President widely criticized for his boundless greed, selfishness, bullying, criminal activity, infidelity, corruption, and shocking lack of empathy... yada yada yada. Trump is consistently ranked by historians as one of the worst Presidents ever.
Although Trump has never owned a pet, he does refer to immigrants as animals and also believes that they eat cats and dogs. He also doesn’t treat his wife or other humans very well.
“Strong focus on material development and accumulating wealth has led us to neglect our basic human need for kindness and care.” – Dalai Lama
In Summary…
They say you can learn a lot about someone by how they treat their pets. This seems to ring true for the 3 U.S. Presidents who never owned a dog, cat, or other pet, as all three seem to share a lack compassion and empathy.
Maybe that’s why they also appear on most lists of the worst Presidents ever!
Although many politicians have used dogs as props to appear more likable, it’s amazing to see that 3 U.S. Presidents didn’t even care enough to make that effort!
Article first published here.
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