As the ball dropped at the end of 2024 and 2025 began, observers addressed the key question which many had wanted to avoid for both the U.S. and for the world? Was 2024 so bad? Could 2025 actually be a worse year?
Domestically as well as globally the United States faces challenges on economic, social, military, and political fronts. Americans have accepted the fact that Donald Trump’s second—albeit non-consecutive term in the White House--is merely days away, but so many people wonder what to expect.
Rumors have circulated that this version of Trump will not be a mere re-play of the first term. He appears certainly to be much more focused, better organized, and ready to take-off running on Day 1. There have been numerous actions which he has announced already that he intends to take immediately following the Inauguration. To date, his actions have clearly suggested that the President-elect was not even waiting for January 20 to be seen by the nation and the world as having taken over the reins of Government.
These activities add further questions as to whether Trump is capable of leaving personal and private interests aside. Will his ego and narcissistic personality overwhelm him once again in his drive to govern? Can Donald Trump transcend his own rhetoric and accept the challenge to conduct the affairs of state with a degree of constraint and a sense of commitment to the interests of the Republic?
Will Trump II be what another Republican President, Theodore Roosevelt, referred to himself as being the “steward of the people.” TR, an equally bold and brash Republican President, said he viewed the position of being president as being the person entrusted to act boldly in his decisions and to act in and for the public good except where the Constitution and law forbade him to act. As he reflected upon his tenure in office as President, Teddy Roosevelt said: “I did not usurp power, but I did greatly broaden the use of executive power.” This is the challenge for Donald Trump. Will he agree to act and yet be faithful to the constraints of the Constitution and the laws of the land?
The President-elect needs to recall several other things about T.R. He was considered to have created the technique of using the Presidency as his own “bully pulpit.” Will Donald Trump be capable of using it with a measure of constraint? Theodore Roosevelt was also the first American President to be awarded a Nobel Prize which Trump has repeatedly made clear he desperately covets. If Trump were to be even considered for that prize, he needs to modify his previous modus operandi.
Since Election Day, Trump has demonstrated that he is not prepared to change but in fact is ratcheting up his determination to overturn much of the accomplishments of the Biden Administration. His public statements, many of the nominees for his Administrations, and his criticism of events on the national and international stage, do not suggest that he will adopt a less aggressive, hostile, confrontational approach to governing.
Trump already has demonstrated that he does not accept the notion that America has only one President at a time. He has injected himself into every single policy issue as well as social event since he won the election, behaving as if he already resided in the White House. Trump attended the Army-Navy Football game and sought it appropriate to join in the re-opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He dispatched many of his designated—many yet to be confirmed--officials to market his future Administration around the country and the world, while the Biden team continues to conduct the affairs of State.
President-elect Trump already has injected the “Elon Musk” factor into his anticipated circle of primary advisers, but he has presented mixed messages in dealing with the Congress. Some of the actions of the President-elect are typical such as seeking to influence the election of the House Speaker. While he gave his unqualified endorsement to Mike Johnson for Speaker, he watched as some GOP members obstructed his preference. Trump then allowed himself to adopt a controlling yet back-seat presence to the eventual successful negotiations.
At the same time Trump (and Musk) overplayed their cards—and lost—as the Congress wrapped up passage before Christmas of an agreed upon continuing resolution. Trump sought to orchestrate the final votes before the House passage but had to swallow a compromise on the debt-ceiling extension, which he had railed against previously.
Events will proceed very quickly beginning with some likely stormy Senate confirmation hearings beginning before the Inauguration. The tone for the next four years or at least until the 2026 Congressional elections definitely will be set within Trump’s first 100 days.
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