At the same time, many anti-Trump neoconservatives left the Republican Party. The environment among political staff in Washington, DC, has shifted strongly toward Trump among Republicans.
The Biden administration made ordinary people feel that they were the target of an aggressive regime that sought to change the traditional nature of everyday life. During the height of the Biden administration’s “woke” regime, the LGBT ideology was in the ascendancy, and families following traditional lifestyles were made to feel excluded and strange. Major corporations leaned heavily toward the “woke” agenda, turning summertime into a never-ending “pride parade,” while pushing bizarre practices like the use of personal gender pronouns (“she/her”) across elite American institutions.
The excesses of the Biden administration caused a precipitous fall in US military recruitment. It caused conservative Americans to move out of failing liberal states such as California and seek a better life in stable, prosperous American states like Texas and Florida. The liberal elites of the Biden administration began to look completely out of touch with the concerns of ordinary life.
Conservatives also realized that, if they did not put Trump back in the White House, American civilization might really enter into a full collapse. Between 2017 and 2021, they saw that only Trump had the courage to take on the liberal media, only Trump had the courage to speak boldly for America on the world stage.
Recall that during the 2020 campaign, Biden mostly sat in his basement (due to the COVID restrictions), delivering messages by Zoom. Harris and Walz also never developed a successful “vibe” on the campaign trail, whereas Trump’s rallies were consistently packed—often three or four times per day in different locations throughout the country. In spite of suffering two assassination attempts, Trump was determined to let nothing get in the way of his spending time with ordinary people.
What does a Trump administration portend, both in American politics and internationally?
First, Trump promised to stop the illegal immigration wave that began right at the beginning of the Biden administration. Potential migrants began aiming toward the United States in late 2020 because they knew that the Biden administration would be lax. Trump has promised to send illegal immigrants home. After all, being in the United States illegally is a crime. But it is likely that the Trump administration will start by expelling those who have committed serious criminal offenses—e.g., those connected with gangs.
Second, Trump has promised to improve the American economic situation through a focus on rebuilding American industry. This doubtless means protection for American manufacturers—for example, steelmakers. Although some suspect that America will enter a “Fortress America” protectionist mindset, it is likely that Trump will use tariffs to ease the income tax burden on ordinary Americans. He will soften the regulatory environment around American businesses, while also reducing the aggressive parts of the “green agenda.”
In his acceptance speech on Tuesday night, Trump emphasized that he would “stop the wars” and build an American military devoted to defense and protection. This direction means a pulling back from the excesses of American military adventurism over the previous two decades. With regard to the war in Ukraine, Trump has promised to end it even before he takes office. While negotiations around war are certainly more complex, the direction that Trump wants to go is clear.