Making the Tough Decisions

Fraser Seitel

For Target Corp. shareholders—one of whom, groan, I am!—the morning of November 20 was full of anticipation. That afternoon, the company was to announce its fourth quarter and year-end earnings for 2024. And we fully expected that the re-energized Target, led by Queens-born, no-nonsense, always-present CEO Brian Cornell, would announce yet another quarter of ground-breaking earnings.

Oy vey, were we wrong! Target announced earnings well below the worst Wall Street estimates and its stock cratered 15 percent. Most surprisingly, CEO Cornell, who always showed up on CNBC or Bloomberg to describe each quarter’s good or bad performance, was nowhere to be seen.

The reality that one of the most disclosure-oriented CEOs in the land was a no-show left a clear impression that the bad news was just too difficult for the CEO to deliver in person. In the weeks that followed, three separate securities law firms—the equivalent of corporate “ambulance chasers”—started investigations of Target.

The larger point is that in uncharacteristically failing to step forward and fully discuss the reason for the depressed earnings, Target’s CEO made a bad situation worse. Such is a predictable outcome when leaders fail to confront tough public relations decisions.

Here are four political leaders faced with similar tough decisions in the New Year.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Here, inexplicably, is the number-one example of making tough decisions.

Israel’s Prime Minister has been vilified non-stop in every corner of the earth—including Israel—for presiding over the death of thousands of defenseless citizens of Gaza. Through the yearlong bloodbath in the Middle East and despite his critics, the beleaguered Netanyahu hasn’t once wavered on continuing to pulverize the multiple enemies that threaten his nation.

As the calendar turns and those enemies—Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, Syria and Iran—now mortally wounded primarily as a result of the Israeli Prime Minister’s toughness, the heretofore unfathomable possibility that Netanyahu might retain power in 2025 is a real possibility.

John Fetterman

And speaking of Israel, the Jewish state’s new best friend in the U.S. Congress turns out to be another unlikely leader who has made tough decisions: the new senior Senator from Pennsylvania, Big John Fetterman.

The ill-dressed, formerly progressive standard bearer for the common man has enraged his former allies in the Alexandria Occasio-Cortez caucus by unflinchingly defending Israel’s right to defend itself in the face of a terrorist enemy that uses humans as shields.

Not only that, but Fetterman, in defiance of fellow Democrats, has also voiced approval of many of the choices for Cabinet posts of the President-elect. The bet here is that the free-thinking, straight-talking Fetterman will become the new leading Democrat force in Congress for compromise with the new administration.

John Thune

Unlike his tough-minded colleague from Pennsylvania, the new Senate majority leader from South Dakota has suggested no such iron in his veins or bravery in his positions.

Sen. Thune has always been a go-along-to-get-along politician, intent on not making waves. But in the next month, as Republican Senate leader, his mettle will be tested, particularly on those controversial Cabinet posts.

Voting down the offensive, wildly unpopular Matt Gaetz as Attorney General was easy. Anyone would have done that. But now with under-qualified nominees like Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth and Kash Patel, Thune will be thrust into the spotlight with a fire-breathing Donald Trump ready to strike.

While the aforementioned three might well tiptoe to victory, the most questionable Cabinet choice is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the wacky, vax-loathing and supremely creepy nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy not only isn’t qualified for the job, but he also isn’t particularly liked by Republicans.

So, the question is: Will Thune demonstrate the backbone to vote “no” on RFK, Jr.?

Donald Trump

Finally, there is the old, new President himself. Trump, of course, insists that he’s eminently capable of making any tough decision.

But one imminent decision, in particular, looms large. There’s little question that Trump will move in the next few weeks to end the Russia-Ukraine war. His “solution” will likely be to accede to Russia the territory it already has seized in return for ending hostilities. Trump will also agree to vote against Ukraine’s entry into NATO, which will effectively kill the possibility since a NATO vote for new nation entry must be unanimous.

That leaves only one more key question with respect to Ukraine. Will Trump put Putin on notice, as part of the war-ending agreement, that any future attack by Russia on Ukrainian soil will trigger a response from not only NATO but the United States?

That’s a tough declaration that a brave leader should be willing to make. The question is, Will President Trump have the courage to do it?

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Fraser P. Seitel has been a communications consultant, author and teacher for more than 40 years. He’s the author of the Pearson text “The Practice of Public Relations,” now in its 14th edition, and co-author of “Rethinking Reputation” and “Idea Wise.” He may be reached directly at [email protected].