94Ha Viewpoint
From the perspective of ordinary Americans, especially those in traditional communities in the Midwest, Trump is seen as one of them. They feel that he is a president who truly focuses his energy on them, understands their concerns, and shares their desires.
In the early hours of Wednesday, November 6th, the results of the US presidential election were becoming clear, with Republican candidate Trump just four electoral votes away from returning to the White House. Eager to deliver his victory speech, he proclaimed that America would enter a “golden age” under his leadership.
Addressing his jubilant supporters at the Palm Beach National Exhibition Center in Florida, he declared, “Every citizen, I will fight for you, your families, and your future. I will fight for you every single day with every breath in my body. I will not rest until we have delivered for our children and your great, safe, and prosperous America. This will truly be the American golden age that we must have.”
Trump’s grandiose rhetoric evokes memories of the 32nd President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served from 1933 to 1945. When Roosevelt took office in 1933, he inherited a country reeling from the Great Depression. Between 1929 and 1932, the US GDP had shrunk by 30%, industrial production by 46%, foreign trade by 70%, and unemployment had skyrocketed by 607%.
Initially lacking a clear policy to address the Great Depression, Roosevelt sought advice from various sources and eventually formulated the New Deal, centered on relief, recovery, and reform. He laid a solid economic foundation for the US, enabling the country to join World War II and emerge as a global superpower after the war, ushering in what is known as the American Century.
Roosevelt is often regarded as one of America’s greatest presidents, alongside founding father Washington and emancipator Lincoln. In contrast, Trump’s leadership style falls short of Roosevelt’s, placing him among the lower ranks in historical presidential rankings.
Perhaps American political analysts have not been entirely fair in their assessment of Trump. Despite his divisive rhetoric and alienation of elites, from the perspective of ordinary Americans, especially in the heartland, Trump is seen as one of them – a president who prioritizes their needs and desires.
Internationally, Trump’s confrontational approach towards China, disdain for allies, and attempts to disrupt global trade supply chains have made him a divisive figure on the global stage. His policies have prioritized America’s interests above all else, such as ending the war in Afghanistan and brokering the Abraham Accords in the Middle East.
Looking at geopolitics, Trump’s era somewhat resembles that of President Reagan during the US-Soviet rivalry. Trump faces a rising China and has initiated trade wars, echoing Reagan’s anti-communist stance during the Cold War. Whether Trump’s policies towards China will have a Reagan-like impact remains uncertain.
Since the end of the Cold War, the US has remained the world’s sole superpower, but internal divisions and socio-economic challenges have left the country deeply wounded. Can Trump heal America and lead it into another golden age? It may take decades before Trump’s true historical legacy is determined.
(The author is the Deputy Chief of International News at Lianhe Zaobao)
