As his second term continues to unfold, President Trump has already gained significant public attention and caused controversy.
Trump has signed various executive orders and memoranda, commenced mass firings of federal workers, conceived plans for drastic tariffs on imports, threatened to annex foreign territories, and retaliated against his political opponents– all in a historic effort to consolidate his authority.
Developments such as these have only added to Trump’s legacy as a contentious figure worldwide. However, his electoral victoryalso evinces the admiration many Americans have for hisagenda and brash nature, despite his avid opposition.
Donald Trump’s image is largely a product of his upbringinginthe wealthy Trump family, which controlled a prominent real estate company owned by his father, Frederick Trump Sr.
Growing up in New York City, Trump received a prestigious education, attending institutions like the New York Military Academy and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where he studied economics. Throughout his education, he struggled academically and experienced behavioral difficulties.
Despite this, upon his graduation Trump began a career at his father’s business, which he rebranded as the Trump Organization, and oversaw its national expansion. He gained fame in the business elite for undertaking many audacious development projects, like Trump Tower, and undertook numerous side ventures.
He gained a reputation as a brazen symbol of American success, known for his no-nonsense ethos, charisma, and self-made achievements. Trump cultivated this persona in media pursuits that would later shape his political rise, including books like The Art of the Deal, television and film cameos, and the reality television show The Apprentice.
Through all of this, Trump’s career remained problematic, as his businesses faced countless lawsuits for issues like discrimination and tax fraud, as well as financial challenges. Additionally, he had been accused of sexual misconduct and racism.
Trump nonetheless launched multiple presidential campaigns, including a failed bid in 2000, and his successful run in 2016.
That year, America was rife with political tensions caused by issues like the War on Terror, setbacks of the 2008 recession, economic globalization and a pressing immigration crisis.
Large segments of the American population grew disillusioned with the policy platforms the main political parties, particularly the Republicans, whose traditional coalition unraveled after its failure to reconcile conservative economic policy with a social liberal agenda. The emergence of the anti-establishment Tea Party movement further channeled internal spite, separating many supporters from an increasingly distant group of insiders.
After Mitt Romney’s loss in the 2012 presidential election, the arrival of a pompous Trump changed the party’s history. Trump’s inconsistent ideological past and his public service inexperience made him a dogmatic political outsider to many.
KSU student Adam Burgess, believed such criticism arose due to Trump’s brashness.
“I think that Trump has done a lot of things differently than most politicians would,” he explained, “Most are concerned about keeping a certain public image, and Trump hasn’t. He doesn’t try to be likable. There’s a lot of people that don’t like him, but that doesn’t bother him.”
Nonetheless, this appealed to many disaffected voters who viewed him as an agent for change.
Dr. Eric Castater, an assistant professor of political science at KSU, reflected on this, stating, “A key thing is that he is seen as a non-politician, and the general public no longer views politicians very well. They view them as corrupt and phony, and Donald Trump has an extraordinary level of hubris that many find appealing. He also knows how to get and keep people’s attention.”
Another student, Gunnar Slocum expressed similar ideas about Trump’s unprecedented appeal. “He is an expert in influencing people,” he stated, “Even with all the controversy, he retains a large body of both informed and ignorant supporters.”
With this confidence and popularity, Trump distinguished himself by audaciously attacking his opponents and advocating policy measures condemned within the mainstream, like a proposal to build a wall at the southern border to prevent illegal immigration and opposition to certain international trade agreements. Additional controversies included his praise for authoritarians, support for conspiracy theories and incendiary social media rhetoric.
He gained more media coverage than his opponents but frequently antagonized the press, using terms such as “fake news media” to arouse contempt for it. This unconventional strategy further expanded his following.
Moreover, Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again” inspired many Americans, but further provoked backlash for having racist connotations. This heightened political polarization within the United States, as his supporters became increasingly loyal to him whilst detractors became more fervently opposed. This trend would outlast his unprecedented victory.
Slocum reflected on this, stating, “His actions have created an even larger divide between two opposing, united fronts.”
Trump’s first-term approval ratings were low compared to other presidents, peaking at 49%, but remained consistent nonetheless. There was substantial public confidence in the economy in the beginning, and approval of his agendas related to immigration and international trade, but the left unwaveringly opposed him.
“He broke many norms with the policies he supported,” Dr. Castater began regarding Trump’s undaunted agenda, “including some that were unconstitutional but had support around the country. Of course, the ‘liberal establishment’ was appalled, but there was a sense in the public that he was strong and wouldn’t buckle to it.”
Trump’s resistance to criticism for disseminating disinformation added to this perception. According to the Washington Post, he made thousands of false and misleading statements during his first 850 days, and continued to receive disinformation accusations until his departure. These especially pertained to falsehoods about the COVID-19 pandemic and the electoral system.
Many opponents also accused him of being a demagogue that appealed to right-wing extremists and hate groups, linking his inflammatory speech to increased hate crimes during his tenure, with white supremacists supporting his verbal attacks against undocumented immigrants and minorities.
Dr. Castater elaborated on this, explaining that, as a populist, Trump performed a rhetorical “two-step” that allowed him to connect with extremists whilst maintaining deniability among moderate followers.
Many have defended him from such accusations however, often believing much of his disputed rhetoric has been misinterpreted, and not unusual within politics.
Burgess reflected on how numerous American leaders have been known to make scandalous statements, commenting, “It’s not that Trump’s comments are good, but he’s not exclusive in the fact that he’s said things that are controversial.”
He further attributed the president’s problematic speech to his bluntness, adding, “I think what’s different about Trump is that he doesn’t mind controversy.”
Additionally, many within his base have opposed his rhetoric whilst supporting his agenda, and this sustained his authority despite modest approval ratings. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic worsened and the 2020 election arrived, Trump’s popularity waned. This resulted in his loss to former Vice President Joe Biden.
Trump and his campaign swiftly denied the election results, alleging there had been widespread voter fraud. This sparked the emergence of an election denial movement among his base, which violently resisted the certification of the electoral college vote during the January 6th capitol riots.
This provoked significant outcry within the government and population, with 52% of U.S. adults blaming him for the crisis due to his vitriolic speech preceding it. Some Republican politicians even did so, with ten joining Democrats in a house vote to impeach him for inciting insurrection. He would ultimately be acquitted.
Republican opposition to Trump began to diminish after his departure, and by September 2021, some 77% believed that the House of Representative’s investigation of the riots was unfair. Furthermore, Trump retained a historic level of influence for a non-president, organizing extensive fundraising for Republican candidates nationwide.
He continued to be prosecuted by federal and various state authorities for multiple offenses, with the state of New York convicting him on various felony charges, making Trump the first felon president. However, many of his cases would be dropped following his re-election.
Trump would eventually launch his fourth presidential campaign in 2024, seeking a second, non-consecutive term. In this election, he would amplify his authority, defeating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, after Joe Biden renounced his candidacy. Unlike in 2016, Trump would narrowly win the popular vote, signifying the enduring growth of his popularity amid rife polarization.
His 2024 campaign marked many pivotal developments, including his survival of an assassination attempt. This event precipitated considerable discord and controversy, but bolstered support for Trump among his supporter base, particularly after the release of triumphant photos of him after the attack and his invocations of divine intervention.
Burgess elaborated on the impact of these developments, saying, “These sort of gave [Trump] a political edge. He has used them to become more politically popular, because people thought he was a persecuted figure.”
Notwithstanding, Trump was continuously accused of employing even harsher rhetoric, this time often individually targeting rivals and those prosecuting him, even with threats of military force. There was also concern over his increasingly intense anti-immigrant speech, along with his health, and criminal history.
The latter caused significant upheaval, and Trump received staunch criticism for running for office as a felon, with many deeming his candidacy undemocratic.
“It wasn’t that long ago that having a criminal or felon in office was unheard of,” Arwynn Presley, another KSU student remarked. She proceeded to claim his reelection thus revealed how “the American people are so removed from democratic ideals.”
However, post-pandemic economic drawbacks, disillusionment on the left, a worsening immigration crisis, and continual international crises reinforced Trump’s political base, rekindling the desire of many to prioritize America’s authority.
Similarly, Dr. Castater concentrated on growing public anxiety about current societal crises. “I think a lot of people… are feeling very insecure,” he noted, “and when people are nervous, they look for seemingly strong leaders, and Trump’s bravado, and unapologetic nature, make a lot of people feel secure.”
Moreover, his rivals, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, faced tremendous disadvantages which alienated much of the electorate. “I just don’t think Harris had any political identity,” Burgess noted, “and it made Trump look really good.”
He elaborated further on their shortcomings, stating “I think this election was the result of the democratic party kind of scrambling and they didn’t have a plan, and a lot of things went wrong for them.”
Many continue to view Trump’s resurgence with optimism and this lasting faith has ensured his domination at the outset of his second term. His new administration, now constituted with more of his allies, has attempted to tremendously reshape the United States government and received greater approval than at the inception of his previous term, but continues to be polarizing as his detractors perceive it as a political tragedy which may worsen America’s future.
In this vane, Presley stated that she hopes Trump’s reelection and contentious administration foments a reckoning among inactive voters stating, “If this doesn’t wake people up and allow people to be more conscientious about what’s going on in office, I don’t know what does. A lot of people, are so far removed from politics, and that should not be the case at all.”
