In late August, President Trump pardoned former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio of criminal contempt of court. On the following Sunday’s episode of Meet the Press, round table participant Michael Gerson of the Washington Post said that Trump pardoning Arpaio was Trump pardoning himself.

Is Gerson a secret, closet astrologer?

Trump was born June 14, 1946. Arpaio, June 14, 1932. Two peas in the Gemini pod. Spot on Gerson!

As with any two individuals born 14 years apart, the charts have many differences. Jupiter takes 12 years to travel around the sun (and the horoscope) so it can be in the same sign in different generations. Saturn the the planets further out in the horoscope take a while to travel around the sun and reflect generational differences.

What’s the same and what’s different about these two June 14 Geminis?

What’s the Same?

Sun

As noted, both are mutable sign Gemini which is represented by the twins and suggests a certain duality existing in the basic personality. Gemini is ruled by Mercury and you’ll note recent news stories referring to Trump as “mercurial,” another good astrological call.

Gemini is here to experience, explore, process, categorize and employ idea and intellect. The gifts of Gemini, which can make it faster and cleverer than those around it, can be channeled into chicanery.

As a sign of changeability, it’s not common to see Gemini fixated on the institutionalized control of others. Gemini likes its freedom and is not known for trying to trap others in co-dependent situations. Fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) and earth signs (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) are the signs that tend to focus on rules, purpose, obligation and duty. These signs will follow through on stated goals even if they no longer believe them through a sense of identity and pride.

Gemini, like its companion air signs Libra and Aquarius, does seem to enjoy playing the rebel. Unlike earth signs, it’s quite aware of the trends in the environment and can both follow them loyally or reject them entirely creating its own styles and trends.

Venus

The other interesting aspect that both men share is Venus in Cancer. Venus doesn’t travel too far from the sun so can only be two signs before or after your sun sign. So while there are many Geminis with Venus in Cancer, both Trump and Arpaio have intense aspect to this pleasure-seeking planet.

Trump has Saturn conjunct while Arpaio has Pluto. Both aspects suggest difficult early family life with lack of that comforting, nurturing feeling you get from Cancer. Both seek it desperately but for Trump family life was filled with rules and rejection while for Arpaio it was filled with power struggles and domination.

Uranus

Trump has Uranus conjunct his sun (and opposite moon in Sagittarius) which creates the uber unpredictability for which he is known. Arpaio has Uranus trine sun which provides the energy and inspiration of Uranus but not quite as much unpredictability.

As Uranus has recently made a return to its natal position in Arpaio’s chart, he’s experiencing the Uranus-in-Aries sense of self that is one of his life energies. At 85 that must be refreshing as it’s a time when the Aries “self” is diminishing.

Trump is experiencing a less energizing aspect – transiting Saturn opposing sun and Uranus. Saturn tries to put the brakes on energy in demand of integrity. In Sagittarius, Saturn is demanding that the walk match the talk.

Saturn

As already noted, Trump’s Saturn is in Cancer. Arpaio’s, in contrast, is in Aquarius. While Cancer is (cardinal) water and Aquarius (fixed) air, what they have in common is a sense of group. Cancer is the family and generally boils down to a sense of belonging. Aquarius is about group goals and missions such as with charitable causes and idealized societies and community living. With Saturn in these signs, both lack a certain connection to the group, Trump emotionally (water) and Arpaio intellectually (air).

What’s Different?

Moon

The major difference is moon sign. As noted above, Trump has moon in Sagittarius, a mutable fire sign, Arpaio has moon possibly in the fixed water sign of Scorpio. That would explain a more consistency of purpose and fixation on certain causes.

Scorpio is very different than Gemini. Gemini is light and playful; Scorpio, heavy and somber. Being fixed water means emotional intensity to the point of obsession. Scorpio can’t let go or forget while Gemini is always looking for new, interesting stimulation.

The mixture of Scorpio/Gemini makes for someone inconsistent in various ways but intensely anchored to certain strong feelings both positive and negative.

If Arpaio does have this consistency of purpose, that’s very different from Trump who changes his mind and positions daily. While some may find that quite frustrating in a leader because a leader, how shall I say this, is supposed to lead. But in contrast to Arpaio, it can be refreshing that Trump has the attention span of a three-month old kitten.

Astrology describes the soup of life and the balance of signs, modes and elements ultimately makes for balance. Like soup, you don’t want too much corn, or too little salt, or a base that overrides all the flavors.

Trump may believe he pardoned his kind in pardoning Arpaio in a great statement of solidarity, but he actually pardoned an entirely different energy – an energy with focus.