Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
Never in U.S. history has a president-elect been welcomed as the real president before his January 20 inauguration. And never has the incumbent president so willingly surrendered his last two months in office and all but abdicated—to the relief of his nation and the rest of the world.
One reason so many are welcoming Trump’s return is the universally desperate hope that his election spelled an end to a collective madness at home and its ripples abroad during the last four years. And why not?
Nations overseas had never quite witnessed anything like the lethal August 2021 American flight from Afghanistan. That utter humiliation and impotence of the U.S. military likely signaled to Russia there would be no consequences if it invaded Ukraine—and it did; to Iran that it could now unleash Hamas and Hezbollah on Israel—and it did; and to China that it could daily threaten Taiwan and send a spy balloon across the United States with impunity—and it did.
The result was the current global chaos perhaps not seen since the late 1930s when a confused United States was similarly a bystander to the rise of bellicose regimes and wars. The Biden administration shrugged that the Red Sea, the Black Sea, the South China Sea, the Straits of Hormuz, and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea all became dangerous to the U.S. Navy and unsafe to world shipping.
A disparate group of nuclear and near-nuclear powers—Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran—are either at war with Western allies or threatening war with them. Their confidence was predicated on the assumption that the U.S. after 2020 was engaged in a Maoist-like cultural revolution that warred on its own security, energy, military, universities, and social unity—and would continue with a second Biden term.
The Biden-era cultural revolution has done great damage to the United States. The U.S. border was systematically and deliberately destroyed to allow some 10-12 million illegal entrants to pour into the U.S. without legality or background checks. Never has an outgoing administration spitefully sold taxpayer-purchased border wall material for pennies on the dollar—rather than see it used for the purposes for which it was purchased.
Never had the U.S. experienced such an immigrant surge. And never had more than 50 million, and over 15 percent of the resident American population been foreign-born.
Why did Biden and Alejandro Mayorkas erase the border? What madness and hate drove them to dismantle federal immigration law? Was it sheer nihilism? Or a desperate but calculated effort to alter American demography for political purposes?
For four years, the public, elected officials, and pundits have all warned that Joe Biden was dangerously cognitively challenged and indeed completely unfit to fulfill the duties of the presidency.
A long-suffering nation winced as Biden slurred his words, spoke in unintelligible sound bites, stood frozen and mute, screamed at and libeled half the country, tripped, fell, wandered aimlessly, became bewildered, and more or less proved a global embarrassment. All knew Biden was not able to run the country; yet none knew exactly who was actually in charge of America in his stead. The Obamas? Leftists like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, the Squad, Jill Biden, and the Biden staff?
Our allies worried that the usually resilient American president was now all but demented. Our enemies enjoyed these leaderless years of opportunity. And the left serially misled the public that the decrepit Biden, whom they feared in private was senile, was “dynamic,” “energic,” and “fit as a fiddle.”
Never has a president so deserved to be removed by the 25th Amendment or through impeachment and conviction. And never has even his inner circle finally but silently agreed as they left office, the very enablers who had done their political best to mask his dementia for four long years.
Rarely have the FBI, the CIA, the IRS, the Department of Justice, and the Pentagon become weaponized and so flagrantly and with impunity broken the law, abandoned their mission statements, and served political agendas rather than the American people. Not since the J. Edgar Hoover era has the FBI hierarchy serially lied under oath, stonewalled Congress, forged a court affidavit, or partnered with the media to suppress the news. Has the FBI ever raided an ex-president’s home, spied on parents at school board meetings, monitored Catholics, or tried to terrify and harass pro-life activists?
Never has the justice system, from local to state to national jurisdictions, so systematically and coordinately, sought to bankrupt, render inert, and jail an ex-president and current presidential candidate.
Never has a presidential family so brazenly profited by selling its influence to foreign interests. Never has it used the powers of the FBI and DOJ to cover up its crimes and to ensure the family filial bagman would be for years exempted by the DOJ and later pardoned by the president himself, the father of the family miscreant and privy to the family syndicate’s illegal activities.
Seldom has a president and his administration sought to fuel a veritable cultural revolution to change the fabric of the nation by institutionalizing a third, transexual gender, violating civil rights law, and systematically admitting, hiring, and promoting Americans on the basis of their race and gender.
Never since the Civil War era had local and state insurrectionist governments established 600 nullification zones, in which they vowed to break federal law and consider it null and void within their jurisdictions. Never have rioters looted, burned, killed, assaulted, and occupied large swaths of cities for over 120 days, and largely with impunity.
Never had the U.S. Treasury borrowed so much money so quickly and owed $37 in national debt—and been so intent on borrowing continuously nearly $2 trillion a year in annual deficits.
Never has a political party sought to systematically violate long-standing traditions, customs, and often the law itself to destroy a political opponent: hiring a foreign national to spread smears among the media and bureaucracies, impeaching a president twice, trying an ex-president in the Senate, seeking to remove a presidential candidate from 16 state ballots, using five different judicial jurisdictions to try an ex-president, and serially so defaming a candidate and ex-president as a dictator, fascist, and Nazi to create a climate that encouraged two near-miss assassination attempts on him.
In sum, for the last four years, the world has watched aghast as the United States lost its collective mind and became a radical Jacobin revolutionary society.
So why is there not a sense of almost ecstatic relief, not just among conservatives but even among Democrats, that the years of darkness and madness are ending?
The global public believes that the United States will again become lawful, have a secure border, return as a beacon of free-market economics, protect its allies, deter its enemies, win over its neutrals, return to the rule of law, restore the professionalism and prestige of its government agencies, check predatory nations abroad with a new deterrent military, and prepare to lead the world in energy production, exploration of space, and scientific and technology development.
Summed up, the welcomed counterrevolution is one of restoration—to dream again that nothing is impossible, and the dreary age of stasis, envy, cynicism, and nihilism is ending, replaced again by a world without limits. No one knows quite what is ahead, but all know that it is at least better already than the current nightmare.
Churchill after El-Alamein, the first major UK victory in WWll said “ Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”. That is apt context for DJT’s victory. Based on reaction from the media, the Democrats, academia and social media they are not going to go along with much or any of MAGA. The president and the people who want him to succeed must stay engaged and vocal to support the president against large and powerful institutions and people who will not willingly relinquish their privilege. Only then will we be able to change the punctuation at the end of the title of this post from a question mark to a period and hopefully an exclamation mark.
Wow wow wow!! So perfectly said! Thank you!!
I agree that this “welcomed counterrevolution is one of restoration—to dream again that nothing is impossible, and the dreary age of stasis, envy, cynicism, and nihilism is ending, replaced again by a world without limits.”
The last “Hope and Change” message America received resulted in a 3-term project to “fundamentally transform the nation”, resulting in an America: that was nihilistic, cynical, depressed, with policies not tethered to improving the lives of its citizens.
Voters have now kicked the transformers to the proverbial curb. Hopefully, the next 3 terms will right the ship, and restart the great “American experiment”.
Simply brilliant, as usual.
Glory Hallelujah!!
💕🙏
Despite the mindset of the nation as a whole, the madness won’t end until Jan 20. Still plenty of time for the leftists that inhabit Joe Biden’s brain to do more damage.
This is another VDH gem worthy of framing and posting everywhere a sensible person is willing to read it.
VDH gets it.
I agree, like a machine gun striking down the enemy from within. And yet, Victor along with so many others understands the power of restoration – “a world without limits” – for this great nation, imperfect as it might be.
Agreed!!! Thanks VDH.
Biden has demonstrated that it is easy to achieve your plan when your plan is failure.
Edmund Burke was right and what happens when good men do nothing.
Early 1950s Far Right McCarthyism was replaced by early 2020s Far Left ‘Bidenism’ seventy years later. But ‘Bidenism’ has been more destructive because of its government control of the media, Hollywood, and our schools.
Great perspective. This is our opportunity to identify all those in GOP politics that are actually DEMONcrats. Identify them all right now and light up all their voting records over the last 4 years and show their constituents what they really stand for. ALL RINOs must be identified and primaried ASAP. This is our window of opportunity to run these lunatics out of office.
“Never in the course of human events has so much been owed . . .”
Jan 20 cannot come soon enough. I have a creepy feeling that hyenas are waiting in the bushes to pounce on the carcass of this administration before Inauguration Day.
Me too!
As Canada sinks deeper and deeper into governmental chaos (our Finance Minister was to read her economic forecast paper in Parliament today but the news broke this morning that she has just resigned), Americans are celebrating the return of hope, reason and sanity. Congratulations on your election. The world is a safer place today.
Obama with his damnation of America nearly pulled it off. The American Constitution barely prevented her destruction. It was close though, with Biden constitutional violations growing in number.
Many weaknesses were exposed in the last four years. The Judicial Branch, the only standing bulwark, is much too slow in response to lawlessness. Something should be done to make it more responsive to breaches by the Executive Branch when it goes rogue as we’ve just seen.
I believe a constitutional amendment should be proposed and passed reducing the time between election and inauguration. The venal Biden Administration has been alloted far too much time to continue to destroy whatever they can before Trump takes office.
Theron in Raleigh NC: As an Unaffiliated 91-year-old registered voter for 20 years, I hope Trump succeeds over the next two years – with party power in congress – to 1) Restore deterrent diplomacy; 2) secure our borders; 3) remove – in a humane manner – criminal and illegal immigrants; 4) lead Congress to a bi-partisan bill on immigration, going forward, and 5) balance the federal budget by
our 250th birthday, July 4, 2026. With public support, WethePeople (WtP) can do most anything!
VDH covered the waterfront with this article, didn’t he!
Theron – Thanks for your post. May God bless you with many more years.
Victor, as a longtime admirer of your intellect, I pray that Trump and his team can undo the damage done in the relatively short period of time they have. I concur that we are far better off without Uncle Joe and his band of left wing pseudo-intellectual lemmings breaking laws at the drop of a hat. It was great to see Trump and some of his team at the Army-Navy game. Biden never attended one game during his presidency and that is a travesty. Merry Christmas to you, your family and keep up the exemplary writings and books. God bless America!!
wow, this is the best summary of the last four years out there.
I firmly believe that as long as the: “Never Trumpers” … Deep State … Obama-Clinton-Biden-Elias-AOC-Etc. … Club’s 51 & 100 exist, the madness will most likely continue. It’s a formable disease that, those inflicted with, are most assuredly not recoverable.
Very possibly that ‘disease’ will continue once the leftists gather their (dim) wits about themselves.
One problem is they apparently are legion; a 2nd is they have no conscience; a 3rd is thanks partly to CA’s counting that took 3-weeks, the GOP majority in the House is somewhat minimized; a 4th is again, those voters supporting that bent are not particularly good at considering consequences.
The Trump Admin must bring the law breakers in the gov to justice or the last few years will be repeated at the next opportunity (in a mere couple years), and it must be done well within the first 12-months despite the media’s howling. Correct thinking voters may not be counted on to dominate in 2026. The ‘haying’, if it can be done, must be done while the sun shines.
This was a great summary of all the things that have been done wrong by the administration. It is amazing how much you can get away with when you control the media. Let’s hope that Trump will stick to a plan that brings sanity back to our country.
Joe Di Prima , Satellite Beach Florida
joe.d@diprima.com
Yeah. We are good for four years. But after that?
“Biden” has not abdicated anything. His masters behind the screen continue to commit larceny to destroy american ways and institutions as quickly as possible, leaving the comatose biden, who is in charge of nothing, to catch the blame. One case in point is hauling off the southern border materials to dispose of before jan20. The border governors should seize the supplies and freeze those interfering with their intended purpose, which was stopped in 2021, after our leftist executive committee took over running our country into the ground.
Never forget that this rampant criminality
could not have proceeded without the craven,
venal enablement of professional journalists.
They’re supposed to be the last firewall to stand
against the psychotic behavior of media & politicians. Instead they facilitated and participated in the ongoing destruction of the union.
There’s no reason to think they will do otherwise.
if not brought to bay.
That was just a lengthy nightmare, right? May divine providence (Franklin, Hanson) support our return to sanity.
A great message indeed. Can you imagine what would have happened if Biden had been in office on Decmber 7th, 1941? I had almost given up and probably would have if Harris had been elected instead of Trump. Donald Trump is far from perfect, but we all are, so stay positve, keep your head up and hope that our next President is successful, or keep your damn mouth shut.
A brilliant summation of the past four years. I want to be optimistic that a return to sanity is assured, however the leftists will never admit defeat or end their pursuit to destroy the America we love.
I would disagree on just two items in this litany of tragedies:
1) The FBI has been corrupt for decades, but has at least not massacred — wholesale — American men, women, and children since 1993 at Waco.
2) Bill Clinton owed his second term to the Chinese communist government, and was headed for impeachment on the grounds of bribery until Monica Lewinsky (and Trent Lott) saved him from that travesty being exposed.
our grandchildren will ask about this time as we watched our government lie, obfuscate, and wage war on its people. I’ll have nothing to say, but perhaps I can just hand them this article.
VDH,
Never has the US government “simultaneously” by their political policies, pushed it’s citizens into severe mental health crisis, issues, and conditions, ranging from panic attacks to unfortunately suicide, there long ranging affects unquestionably unknown, in the history of a so called modern democracy.
Just a really superb essay by our greatest living historian.
Yes, our national nightmare is over. And perhaps, this is the beginning of a long run of Republicans being in power. After all, beside the left’s success in destroying our southern border, many Democrats departed from reality altogether in their quest to enshrine woke ideology into our national fabric. Thank God the sane majority said no.
Yes, it is almost too good a reversal to be completely trusted. As a pessimist by nature, (as were the Founders), I can only pray that all the forces of earthly protection and Providential oversight will clothe and protect President Trump and his family from any harm that is already no doubt in the minds of some.
This is truly one the best synopsis of what I am feeling, and so many others I talk to. We all kept asking ourselves ‘how much worse can it get? -and the next day it was worse.
Thank you God for Trump dodging the bullet and getting us out of this wilderness of evil. And thank you Elon for buying X and giving back our free speech.
I am pleasantly amazed whenever I think of how many hurdles Trump had to jump in order to get back to the presidency. What a story this will be for our future history. books in America. Young people everywhere should be told about this!
The last few years of the Biden era they have attempted to destroy the house from within. It’s going to be very difficult to fix -very, very difficult but not impossible. Everyone should know how difficult it will be to fix though. Trump will do it. Vance will too. At local levels, parents speaking up in schools and private companies attracting talent will transform things quickly. There is no time to waste.
Dear Victor,
You are a historian. Can you tell us what went wrong? Founding fathers set up the country with three branches of government. This system should not be easy to be torn apart. However with Obama and Biden combined with 12 years, how can this happen? Why only Trump one person can change the world. Why not anyone else can stop the madness? I always think what if Trump didn’t exist. Will America fall apart?
What has happened? 8 years of Obama bad 4 years of Biden have completely marginalized white people. And American media gets so corrupt that even Russia or Chinese media feel incompetent of lying in front of US media.
Is it because Americans lost their spirit but too focus on money?
Sincerely
“.. we trudge the road of happy destiny.”
Thank you Professor!
Your have always been a inspiration and a light of intelligence in such a awful part of our countries history. Your writings and appearances on podcasts and news organizations brought validation to all of us who are just working class citizens who care about America. Thank you sir.
I believe that these truths have to be taught at an early age in our schools the details of the Constitution and I would like to see some of the federal powers moved to the states, like the department of education is the Constitution laid it out in the beginning.
37 Trillion
Not “$37 in national debt.”
Excellent article, great insights as usual from VDH! There’s a typo in “…..owed $37 in national debt….”.
Shouldn’t it be $37 Billion?
Trillion
I’ll try to remember this post in 20 years when school textbooks tell kids that Joe Biden was one of the greatest Presidents ever.
Amen.
Thanks Victor. The 18th century patriots at the Green Dragon would be on the edge of their seats with anticipation of forthcoming events!
Great essay. But try to remember, this country is not a democracy. Democracy is mob rule. We are a Constitutional REPUBLIC! The rule in America is written law. The last 4 years America has been a democracy, mob rule.
Some counterarguments that Trump’s win is an indicator of a big sociological, economic, and political reset underway (call it “The Big Reset Hypothesis”). I’d like to hear the counter-counterarguments.
Reports of Liberalism’s Demise Are Greatly Exaggerated
https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/reports-of-liberalisms-demise-are-greatly-exaggerated
Some specific elements of this talk by Scott Sumner: https://www.econtalk.org/why-industrial-policy-is-almost-always-a-bad-idea-with-scott-sumner/
I wonder if Professor Hanson has ever read Jefferson Davis’ treatise on secession; in it he explained that secession is the legal opposite of nullification. He did not want to go down the non-enforcement route, hence his decision to support Southern independence. A real instance of nullification during the Civil War era was the refusal of many Northern jurisdictions to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act. No matter how odious moderns might find this statute, or think the North’s resistance a just response, the fact is that nullification during the 1850s and 60s was not only, or even mostly, a Southern tactic.
This is Biden era Twilight Zone madness comprehensively summarized in only a way VDH can do it. The only thing I’d add would be an emphasis on the Biden “rabbit hole” hyper-inflation that wrecked us. The insane Left policies of egregious government spending and money printing under the guise of “needed economic stimulus”, coupled with their war on domestic oil and gas energy, was devastating. The so-called Inflation Reduction Act was anything but…just ask your everyday American grocery shopper. It was a gaslit sham that literally poured gasoline on the inflation fire!
It will be good to see America again, as freedoms light on the hill. It’s not from the street lights. Its the American people and the way they govern them selves.