Humility and concern for the feelings and welfare of the public are central qualifications of a national leader in the view of Maimonides. The leader should practice self-discipline and should shun a pursuit of wealth and self-gratification.
Some sources from Maimonides that may shed some light on the current presidential election cycle. Each selection is followed by Maimonides Hebrew original. Interested readers may follow Maimonides' prooftexts to their original, biblical context.
Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 2:6
(6) Just as Scripture has granted [the king] great honor and obligated all in honoring him, so has it enjoined [the king] to be humble and empty (of self-pride), as it is written, "and my heart is empty within me" (Psalms 109:22). He should act no more proudly than necessary toward [the people] Israel, as it is written, "Thus he will not act haughtily toward his fellows" (Deuteronomy 17:20). He should be gracious and merciful toward the lowly and the great. He should show concern for their property and welfare. He should show regard for the dignity of the lowliest. When he addresses the public, he should speak gently, as it is written, "Hear me, my brothers, my people!" (I Chronicles 28:2). It is also written, "If you will be a servant to these people today, etc." (I Kings 12:7). He should always behave with great modesty. None was greater than our Teacher Moses of whom it is written, "What are we? Your complaints are not with us..." (Exodus 16:8). He should put up with their troublesomeness, burdensomeness, complaining, and irritation as a governor bears with an infant. Scripture dubs him a shepherd: "to tend His people Jacob" (Psalms 78:71). The way of the shepherd is stated in Tradition [that is, the Prophets], "as a shepherd He pastures his flock: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them in His bosom..." (Isaiah 40:11).
משנה תורה, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות ב׳:ו׳
(ו) כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁחָלַק לוֹ הַכָּתוּב הַכָּבוֹד הַגָּדוֹל. וְחִיֵּב הַכּל בִּכְבוֹדוֹ. כָּךְ צִוָּהוּ לִהְיוֹת לִבּוֹ בְּקִרְבּוֹ שָׁפָל וְחָלָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים קט-כב) "וְלִבִּי חָלַל בְּקִרְבִּי". וְלֹא יִנְהַג גַּסּוּת לֵב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יֶתֶר מִדַּאי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז-כ) "לְבִלְתִּי רוּם לְבָבוֹ מֵאֶחָיו". וְיִהְיֶה חוֹנֵן וּמְרַחֵם לִקְטַנִּים וּגְדוֹלִים. וְיֵצֵא וְיָבוֹא בְּחֶפְצֵיהֶם וּבְטוֹבָתָם. וְיָחוּס עַל כְּבוֹד קָטָן שֶׁבַּקְּטַנִּים. וּכְשֶׁמְּדַבֵּר אֶל כָּל הַקָּהָל בִּלְשׁוֹן רַבִּים יְדַבֵּר רַכּוֹת. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כח-ב) "שְׁמָעוּנִי אַחַי וְעַמִּי". וְאוֹמֵר (מלכים א יב-ז) "אִם הַיּוֹם תִּהְיֶה עֶבֶד לָעָם הַזֶּה" וְגוֹ'. לְעוֹלָם יִתְנַהֵג בַּעֲנָוָה יְתֵרָה. אֵין לָנוּ גָּדוֹל מִמּשֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ וְהוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות טז-ח) "וְנַחְנוּ מָה לֹא עָלֵינוּ תְלֻנֹּתֵיכֶם". וְיִסְבּל טָרְחָם וּמַשָּׂאָם וּתְלוּנוֹתָם וְקִצְפָּם כַּאֲשֶׁר יִשָּׂא הָאוֹמֵן אֶת הַיּוֹנֵק. רוֹעֶה קְרָאוֹ הַכָּתוּב. לִרְעוֹת בְּיַעֲקֹב עַמּוֹ. וְדַרְכּוֹ שֶׁל רוֹעֶה מְפֹרָשׁ בְּקַבָּלָה כְּרֹעֶה עֶדְרוֹ יִרְעֶה בִּזְרֹעוֹ יְקַבֵּץ טְלָאִים וּבְחֵיקוֹ יִשָּׂא וְגוֹ':
Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 3:4
(4) He should not amass silver and gold for the sake of depositing [them] in his treasuries and boasting of them or of adorning himself with them. Rather [he may amass silver and gold] in order to pay his soldiers, courtiers, and servants. As for any silver and gold that he amasses for the treasury of the house of the Name or to prepare for public needs and wars, it is the fulfillment of a precept to do so. It is only forbidden [for him] to amass for himself in his own treasuries, as it is written "He shall not amass for himself" (Deuteronomy 17:17). If he does so amass, he is lashed.
משנה תורה, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות ג׳:ד׳
(ד) וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב לְהַנִּיחַ בִּגְנָזָיו וּלְהִתְגָּאוֹת בּוֹ אוֹ לְהִתְנָאוֹת בּוֹ. אֶלָּא כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתֵּן לְחֵילוֹתָיו וְלַעֲבָדָיו וּלְשַׁמָּשָׁיו. וְכָל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב שֶׁיַּרְבֶּה לְאוֹצַר בֵּית ה' וְלִהְיוֹת שָׁם מוּכָן לְצָרְכֵי הַצִּבּוּר וּלְמִלְחֲמוֹתָם הֲרֵי זֶה מִצְוָה לְהַרְבּוֹתוֹ. וְאֵין אָסוּר אֶלָּא לְהַרְבּוֹת לְעַצְמוֹ בְּבֵית גְּנָזָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז-יז) "וְלֹא יַרְבֶּה לּוֹ". וְאִם הִרְבָּה לוֹקֶה:
Mishneh Torah, Kings and Wars 3:6
(6) Similarly, he should not be licentious with women. Even if he has only one wife, he may not consort with her at all times as fools do, as it is written, "Do not give your strength to women" (Proverbs 31:3). The Torah shows concern to avoid his becoming distracted, as it is written, "He shall not turn aside his mind [lit. heart]" (Deuteronomy 17:17). For his mind is the mind of the entire congregation of Israel. Therefore, Scripture bids him cleave to the Torah more than [it does] the rest of the people, as it is written, "[Let him read in it (=the Teaching)] all the days of his life" (Deuteronomy 17:19).
משנה תורה, הלכות מלכים ומלחמות ג׳:ו׳
(ו) וְכֵן לֹא יִהְיֶה שָׁטוּף בְּנָשִׁים. אֲפִלּוּ לֹא הָיְתָה לוֹ אֶלָּא אַחַת לֹא יִהְיֶה מָצוּי אֶצְלָהּ תָּמִיד כִּשְׁאָר הַטִּפְּשִׁים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי לא-ג) "אַל תִּתֵּן לַנָּשִׁים חֵילֶךָ". עַל הֲסָרַת לִבּוֹ הִקְפִּידָה תּוֹרָה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז-יז) "וְלֹא יָסוּר לְבָבוֹ". שֶׁלִּבּוֹ הוּא לֵב כָּל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְפִיכָךְ דִּבְּקוֹ הַכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה יֶתֶר מִשְּׁאָר הָעָם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יז-יט) "כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּיו":
Source Sheet created on Sefaria by David Rosenberg