Trump: King of the USA
Heavy is the head that wears the crown
Since the beginning of Donald J. Trump’s political rise, public discourse has flipped regularly between adoration and condemnation. Yet, beyond the ideological skirmish, there, indeed lies a substantive case for his leadership style. A Leadership style rooted in fearless decision making, unashamed national pride and a love of nationalism as a whole, and the unconventional but extremely potent communication with the public. While Ive coined the term “King of the USA” and its use is intentionally hyperbolic, it captures the essence of Donald Trump’s populist appeal and transformative impact on the American political landscape and culture at large, as well as American economic policies, and global influence. His leadership, far from the optics of being somewhat reckless, in fact represent a break from the US’s stagnant political orthodoxy, effectively revitalizing the USA’s national identity, disrupting complacency of allied nations, and fostering a spirit of Pro-individualism and economic audacity in the American public.
Donald J. Trump’s domestic legacy is marked by a bold economic policy that, despite being unpopular on the world stage, have actually delivered real, tangible results. Under his administration, the United States has experienced historically low unemployment rates, specifically amongst the African American and Hispanic communities, pre COVID-19. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act essentially stimulated business investment and returned billions of dollars to American workers in the form of real, noticable wage increases as well as corporate bonuses ([Congressional Budget Office, [https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53415](https://www.cbo.gov/publication/53415)).
Donald J. Trump's genuine commitment to business deregulation, effectively reduced the bureaucratic barriers surrounding them, In turn, this unleashed the USA’s productivity in energy, manufacturing, and even small business sectors. Traditionally skeptical institutions were forced to acknowledge that the USA’s economy grew robustly during the first three years of his presidency (\[Forbes, [https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2020/10/29/the-trump-economy-by-the-numbers-2020-election-update/](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckdevore/2020/10/29/the-trump-economy-by-the-numbers-2020-election-update/)]). While critics of Donald J. Trump often attempt to emphasize the inequality or the debt, Donald J. Trump’s approach was basic - the approach itself favors wealth creation through opportunity, rather than the communist-esque redistribution of wealth. Wealth creation via opportunity is and always has been the gold standard in the USA, a hallmark of American economic philosophy.
Trump’s foreign policy, often ridiculed as being isolationist, instead became a recalibration of American priorities. His insistence, which continues today that NATO allies increase defense spending, was so effective that it brought forward long-overdue equity to transatlantic partnerships (\[The Guardian, [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/06/trump-nato-spending-germany-troops](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/06/trump-nato-spending-germany-troops)]). His direct, no nonsense approach to diplomacy with allies and adversaries, such as North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, removed and smashed the stalemate that had been in place for decades. Donald J. Trump’
s style and approach is proving to the world, showing that unconventional and unexpected engagement can yield benefits and also strategic leverage. Further to this point, Donald J. Trump also initiated the Abraham Accords. The idea being that it would be the beginning of normalizing relations between Israel and Arab middle eastern nations. This is something never done before by any leader of the western world. This was and is a rare Middle East breakthrough that even his most harsh critics had to acknowledge (\[Brookings Institution, [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-abraham-accords-a-view-from-the-gulf/](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-abraham-accords-a-view-from-the-gulf/)]). Donald J. Trump's foreign strategy was not, and never will be about retreat, but always about recalibration, a recalibration that asserts American interests first, and without apology.
One of Donald J. Trump’s most unexpected legacies will be in his cultural impact on emerging technologies and financial decentralization. His playful, man of the people approach which is often irreverent in its engagements, especially with the internet culture allowed new movements to spring up. Specifically the meme-based cryptocurrency Dogecoin (DOGE) flourished within the public imagination. While some dismissed DOGE as unserious, Donald J. Trump’s engagement and off hand promotion of such new technological phenomena essentially reflects his unique understanding of grassroots digital economic populism. He saw, he promoted, he saw it flourish. Simple - yet effective. The cryptocurrency boom however, illustrates a deeper shift: the democratization of financial systems and the power of people with a united, viral belief. This is a cultural revolution in which Donald J. Trump, be it intentionally or not, played a symbolic role in bringing it to fruition. His support for business as a whole, support of free enterprise and shared distrust of centralized control resonates with the ethos of cryptocurrency (\[Financial Times, [https://www.ft.com/content/6228d1b8-3708-4e86-b282-0f9f993fa51c](https://www.ft.com/content/6228d1b8-3708-4e86-b282-0f9f993fa51c)]).
Trump’s style of leadership—often deemed chaotic or unpresidential—deserves a full re-examination. His refusal to bow to the communist idea of political correctness, his willingness to challenge long established and entrenched power structures, and the unwavering, unashamed prioritization of American sovereignty effectively represent a modern incarnation of leadership, that is unafraid of any and all backlash. Unlike many Western leaders fearful and constrained by polls and elite the consensus, Donald J. Trump governed from his own instinct and his own guiding principles. His stance on immigration, NATO, trade, and national security was and remains consistent: protect Americans first. This approach, has lit the match for a global tsunami of world leaders, inspired by Donald J. Trump, populism and patriotic governance, be it from Viktor Orbán in Hungary to Giorgia Meloni in Italy. Whether praised or condemned, Donald J. Trump has undeniably shifted the once established global political norms (\[The Atlantic, [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/trumpism-goes-global/606994/](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/trumpism-goes-global/606994/)]).
The American republic has always been a culture that thrives under boldness, I would argue that boldness is what it means to be American, its in American Blood, its history whether in its revolution, its industrial rise, or its ascendancy to global superpower on the world stage. Donald J. Trump’s promotion of national pride, shared skepticism of the multilateral overreach, and his economic dynamism are all reminiscent of the fierce independence of earlier United States eras. While his detractors may focus on his rhetoric or some controversy surrounding him, history often rewards results over the style of the day. As worldwide nations attempt to navigate a what is becoming a more multipolar future, Donald J. Trump’s model of leadership offers a vital lesson: fearlessness, not conformity, is the path to renewed sovereignty and strength.
Genuinely, I feel that it is time for more leaders to embrace Donald J. Trump’s unapologetic pride and love of ones nation, combining it with assertive governance. The era of sterile, poll-driven technocracy is ill-suited to the 21st century's volatility, and someone should inform The Labour Party leader Kier Starmer of this. Instead, what the world is in dire need of is a real 21st century renaissance of leadership rooted in country, courage, vision, and an unshakable belief in the home nation’s potential. Donald J. Trump may not wear a crown, but his impact has been nothing short of regal in scale.
In a world that increasingly values safety over strength, his example reminds us that boldness still matters.