Trump
What Drives Donald Trump? And What Drives Me to Write a Blog About Him?
With the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States, the world has been turned completely upside down. From his previous term as the 45th president, we know that Trump doesn’t exactly have a close relationship with the truth. Strangely enough, he doesn’t even try to hide that. Besides being a politician, Trump is primarily a “successful” businessman. He built his wealth in real estate—initially in New York, where he was born, and later across the globe. An anecdote about his purchase of the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida perfectly illustrates the kind of businessman Donald Trump is.
Mar-a-Lago
Donald Trump’s 1985 purchase of Mar-a-Lago is a textbook example of his cunning, no-compromise business mentality. When the estate’s heiress, Marjorie Merriweather Post, set an asking price that Trump found too high, he deployed a classic Trump tactic: he bought an adjacent plot of land and threatened to build a massive, ugly structure that would completely ruin the view from Mar-a-Lago. The heirs felt the pressure and ultimately lowered the price, allowing Trump to acquire the estate for just a fraction of the original asking price—including its luxurious furnishings. Despite the sky-high maintenance costs and restrictions as a national historic landmark, Trump sensed an opportunity to cleverly combine prestige and profit. He later transformed it into an exclusive private resort and social club, showcasing not only his business acumen but also his willingness to use any strategic move to come out on top.
Key Achievements
One of the most striking aspects of his first term as president, in my opinion, was his plan to build a wall between Mexico and the United States, aimed at halting illegal immigration from Mexico. Additionally, Trump imposed a travel ban on visitors from certain Muslim-majority countries. Shortly after moving into the White House, he also withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement. He appointed three ultra-conservative judges to the Supreme Court and faced impeachment proceedings twice.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world, the U.S. economy thrived under Trump’s leadership. In fact, unemployment—especially among minority groups—reached its lowest level in fifty years.
Protectionism
In his second and final term as President of the United States, Trump’s motto, “America First,” echoes louder than ever. By imposing high import tariffs, he aims to protect American industry. For example, cheap electric cars from China become significantly more expensive due to these tariffs—something that clearly benefits companies like Tesla. The logic behind this protectionist approach is straightforward: Trump wants American consumers to buy products made in the U.S.
However, Trump largely ignores the downsides of this protectionism.
While his approach is designed to shield American businesses and preserve jobs, it carries significant risks. High tariffs on imports from countries like China, Canada, and Europe can trigger trade wars, leading affected nations to retaliate with tariffs on American exports. This not only harms international trade relations but also impacts U.S. companies that rely on global supply chains and affordable raw materials. Consumers feel the pinch directly, with rising prices on everyday goods—from electronics to food.
Moreover, protectionism can weaken the global competitiveness of American companies, as they become less incentivized to innovate and optimize production. In the long run, this could lead to economic slowdowns, job losses in export-oriented sectors, and a diminished U.S. influence in the global economy.
Elon Musk
So, we know Trump is a businessman at heart. He’s also a right-wing politician. Right-wing politics, unlike the left, favors a small government. And if there’s one thing Trump immediately tackles as president, it’s reducing the size of the government. To that end, he appointed his “friend” Elon Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
In this role, Musk focuses on cutting government spending and streamlining bureaucratic processes, with a strong emphasis on implementing artificial intelligence to address inefficiencies. Unsurprisingly, Musk doesn’t approach this task half-heartedly—just as we’ve come to expect from his work at Tesla and X.
Soft Values
Above all, Trump is not just a businessman and politician—he’s also a father and grandfather. He has five children and ten grandchildren. At seventy-eight years old, his time is undeniably limited. So, the question naturally arises: how does he view his legacy?
What kind of world does he want to leave behind for his children and grandchildren? Does he truly only care about money? Or, beneath that striking exterior and loud bluster, are there softer values hidden—values that go beyond wealth and power?
Will we catch a glimpse of these softer values during his second term as president of the most powerful country in the world?
I’m a hopeful optimist—perhaps against better judgment. But what’s life without hope and optimism? Without that tiny chance of a miracle?