Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
In the weeks before the 2016 Trump Electoral College victory, Trump was polling between 35 and 40 percent.
He would average only about 41 percent approval over his tumultuous four-year tenure.
No one knows what lies ahead over the next four years. But for now, Trump already polls at well over 50 percent approval.
Trump’s inauguration in a few weeks likely will not resemble his 2016 ceremony.
In the 2016-7 transition, Democratic-affiliated interests ran commercials urging electors to become “faithless” and thus illegally reject their states’ popular votes and instead elect the loser, Hillary Clinton.
Massive demonstrations met Trump on Inauguration Day.
In less than four months after assuming the presidency, Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to investigate the hoax of Russian collusion.
That wasted 22-month, $40 million investigation found no collusion but did derail the first two Trump years.
What followed the collusion ruse was a consistent effort to undermine the Trump presidency—two subsequent impeachments, the laptop “disinformation” hoax, the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown, and news suppression of any mention of the Chinese lab origin of the virus or questioning the closing of schools.
In the Trump administration’s last summer of 2020, 120 days of riot, arson, looting, assault, and murder followed, with the denouement of the January 6 turmoil.
In contrast, during the 2024-2025 transition, Trump has all but assumed the presidency. Over 100 foreign leaders have elbowed each other to be invited to Mar-a-Lago or to phone in their congratulations to the newly elected Trump.
Remember that in 2016 the left screamed “Logan Act” if a Trump transition appointee even talked with foreign officials.
So why is newly elected Trump a veritable cultural hero in 2024 in a fashion unimaginable eight years ago when the media had rendered him a near demon?
One, Trump is now seen as a welcome relief.
A departing and unpopular Joe Biden will leave with about a 36 percent approval rating.
The prior Biden years are now seen as abnormal, if not disastrous.
The left’s cultural revolution championed fringe policies never quite seen before: destroying the border, welcoming in 12 million illegal aliens, nihilist critical race and legal theories, institutionalizing a third sex, and mandating woke/DEI quotas and indoctrination sessions.
Yet Biden had inherited from Trump a secure border, an economy rebounding after the COVID quarantines, 1.23 percent inflation, no wars abroad, and cheap energy.
Four years later, the outgoing Biden administration is widely unpopular. Almost every one of its policies polls below 50 percent.
In response, Trump promises not just to restore his first-term success but to expand it.
Two, Trump personally remains transparent, upbeat, and energetic—eager to meet with anyone, anytime, anywhere, to talk about anything.
His energy offers a sharp contrast with the era of the non-compos-mentis Biden. The change is welcomed by an electorate exhausted by past presidential stumbling, wandering, incoherence, mind freezes, and angry, “get-off-my-grass” aged fragility.
Three, Trump is grudgingly admired, now even by some of his enemies who once sought but failed to destroy him.
He endured two impeachments, five civil and criminal court indictments, incessant lawfare, a 95% negative media, attempts to remove him from states’ ballots, and two assassination attempts.
Yet all these unprecedented hostile efforts to end Trump may only have made him stronger—and more empathetic when seen as a target of increasingly fanatical enemies.
Four, Trump has expanded his MAGA base and permanently branded it as an ecumenical movement that welcomes shared class interests rather than fixates on the tired old tribal racial and ethnic chauvinism.
Trump also brought in disaffected Democrats, independents, and minorities in a way the Democrats could not with the evaporating and bitter Never Trump dead-enders.
Trump’s veritable campaign menagerie of RFK, Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Dana White, and Kid Rock made it impossible for the left to demonize MAGA Republicans as right-wing aristocrats, warmongers, or laissez-faire capitalists.
Fifth, the endorsements of the Biden-Harris legacy media, calcified Hollywood endorsers, blowhard university faculties, and tech barons proved overrated.
It was trumped by more popular and dynamic internet influencers, podcasters, bloggers, and maverick entrepreneurs.
Sixth and finally, Trump himself proved more experienced and reflective than in 2016. His team too was more disciplined and street smart, led by savvy chief of staff Susan Wiles.
2024 saw truly pivotal moments of Trump as everyman—posing for a mug shot after being railroaded by a weaponized lawfare indictment, serving McDonald’s drive-through customers, riding in a garbage truck cab, and raising his fist and yelling “fight, fight, fight”—after having his head near blown off by a would-be assassin.
Add all of these once unimaginables up, and the people trusted more—and liked better—the Trump reboot than grouchy Joe Biden or inane, inauthentic Kamala Harris and their shared extremist agendas.
Dear Professor Hanson,
Greetings from Bergen, Norway. I am incredibly relieved that you will soon have a new administration in the United States. I have high expectations and, not least, a hope that we in Norway and Europe will also soon come to our senses and turn away from woke, DEI, climate hysteria, and open borders, though this is not certain.
In any case, I am glad that we are unburdened from what has been. I wish you a Merry Christmas and an exciting and prosperous New Year.
Frode,
With the annexation of Greenland, we may soon become trusted neighbors.
Europe is led by Meloni, S America by Milei, N America Trump, Asia by Modi, M East by Bibi. Except Africa, most of the globe has awakened from woke.
That said, except for Pain, everything else discussed by prof Hanson is secondary. Given all that were said to Canadians, they will stick with Trudeau until the Pain is intolerable. Dostoievsky said, people worship nothing more than good hair and cute smile, they don’t care for liberty.
Considering your list of world leaders, Modi is a certain “not of that set” yrant. India will never prosper until he is removed from his position o authority. He continually stirs up strong hatred and extreme persecution of his preferred religious sect. I know a number of people who are from India, many of whom have close relatives living here. Some have suffered directly under Modi’s policies, and all greatly fear his tyrannical conduct.
Yu also indicated that Modi seems to have authority outside o India itself. I do no believe this is he case beyond some influence based on his position. I am thankful for this, as I would not want to see any more brought under his cruel thumb.
I was in Oslo for a week during June this year (24). June also happened to be the gay pride month. The entire city was festooned with rainbow flags, murals and not a few men in designer skirts. There also was a congregation of teen girls and boys in the open area opposite Karl Johan gate shouting anti Israel slogans. Then, I also saw Muslim preachers openly converting gullible (no other word would do justice) Norwegians to Islam.
My instinctive feeling was ‘this country is in need of a saviour’. I do hope the man cometh very soon for, the hour has certainly come!
Thanks Victor! I love it when you compile the long list of insults and transgressions the progressives have dreamed up and used against Trump! Trump has endured all of these attacks with dignity and patriotism while biden stumbles on steps and falls off of his bicycle!!
I join you in appreciation of Victor’s lists. He really helps clarify the salient issues.
I love your ability to distill the essence of the horrible fermenting wort of the preceeding administration, releasing the first promising aromas of what lies ahead.
Yet your writing is even more appealing when you highlight the deep historical parallels from world and human history. Doing so lifts you further above opinion journalism to the status of a wise muse we all need to heed.
I am grateful that Kamala kept her campaign promise of bringing “joy”, I have been feeling it since the election back in November.
DJT has the potential to be a Mt Rushmore level president. Who in 2016 or 2020 would have believed it?
I would have. Many of us would’ve, I suspect.
We finally have a man with a chest! I hope there is still time to save our republic.
I did… having watched a few episodes of his TeeVee show “You’re fired!” it was quite evident that he has an uncanny sense of others, how they “operate”, their strengths and weaknesses, what drives them, and how they work (or not) with others to build a functional and effective team. I particularly appreciated his clear exposition of WHY the individual needed to leave the team, how his particular fault or failing prevented the rest of the team from functioning effectively.
I often found myself observing a clear defiance of his words, and a strong “hurt” response. I often wondered if the “fired” ine had any idea how valuable rump’s words COULD have been had he humbled himself and LISTENED, and taken his words under advisement. It would be amusing to track those who got fired AND who resented/scorned Trump’s firing and assessment.
“A departing and unpopular Joe Biden will leave with about a 36 percent approval rating.” It continues to both baffle and concern me that a solid one-third of our fellow citizens (and likely millions of “pre-polled” illegal aliens) remain faithful to the Biden/Leftist/Marxist actions and results of the last four years. Who are these people? Where do they reside and work? The chaos, plunder, and utter arrogance displayed by the Left is on crystal clear display yet one in three of us says “That’s great!”? The fight they started is not nearly over with the rest of us yet. We are not a docile people.
I too am perplexed by this. What is wrong with these people. What blinds then from the truth?
Hmmmm. . . Satan?
William,
I strongly believe that portion (36% approval) is a mix of ignorance, greed and graft.
Agree , Mike
Agreed. The disbelief is that so many of our fellow citizens are living lives dedicated to greed and corruption or are willing useful idiots.
I’m guessing that most of them don’t work anywhere.
These seem to be Democrats for life no matter what; no matter how far Left the route. I know these people here in California (one is a best friend) and they can not bring themselves to consider the results of single-party rule. They seem to have a religious dogma implanted in their brains from childhood. I’m currently reading “The Parasitic Mind” by Gad Saad which explains this pathogen and it’s metastatic character.
John, thx for the title, sounds like a must read for me. I have friends who don’t seem to understand the epic disaster that began with Biden undoing all of Trump’s border policies after saying “surge the border” into the cameras during the primaries and campaign, and that was just for starters.
Democrats, and Liberals in general, are cheats, liars and forgers. They have no honor, no integrity. They want to sabotage, obstruct and resist President Trump and the Conservative Party. Crooks, all of them. How do you deal with people like that?
I am with you, I honestly don’t get it? How can both 1/3rd support this crap AND, more importantly vast majority of Democrats in Congress and Senate?
My sister and brother-in-law are a couple of these. They’re lifelong Democrats, retired. They live in a gated community along with like-minded individuals in Washington State. They have become so invested in their hate for Trump they can’t back down now. They believe the Obama presidency was the greatest of all time, they believe all of the media hoaxes, that Russia stole the election in 2016, that Trump is the devil reincarnated (although they are atheists). They only watch MSM. They believe Trump supporters are brainwashed by FOX news (it’s the only news source they think we watch). Despite their ultra ‘Democrat’ position, they would never entertain illegals moving into their community, they would never help struggling homeless. After having Christmas with them for 20 years, this is the first year we didn’t – not even a mention of Christmas.
It is simpler than that, really.
According to the Adams rule, 25% ALWAYS vote for dumb stuff.
That leaves only 11% who approve of “Joe Biden”.
Keep the rule in mind. It explains much in our world.
Let’s say you ask in your survey if you would prefer being alive or dead. 25% would answer “dead”.
This is the power of the Adams rule.
Its hatred of anything Trump.
Agree 100%. I have come to the conclusion this 1/3 of our citizens have their reason corrupted & judgement obscured by evil forces. Or they just don’t know the truth, don’t care to know the truth, and are happy to continue with heads in the sands of ignorance. They are in no wise vigilant to what is happening in and around them- nor do they care! “Leave me alone to enjoy my video games, Ai assisted thought, and social media”, the 1/3 might say.
The “utter arrogance” that appeared in the Christmas cards/notes we received — and saved — from the 2020 holiday season, where our longtime semi-elite friends patted themselves on the back with admiration at the excellent choice made in the election that November, and remarked that they were looking forward to a “change in Administration” come January 2021! Well, we usually prepare a New Year’s letter to a long list of people reporting on our thoughts and doings of the previous year. I’m thinking of including a link to this Victor Davis Hanson article to these same folks. That’s right: Suck It Up, LOSERS.
Was ihn nicht umbringt, macht ihn strarker.
If we are to look to Nietzsche for guidance, we are of all countries to be most pitied.
“A man who has a why to live for can endure almost any how.” My kids, but it’s hard, which is probably why he stuck that “almost” in there!
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
Ihn bedeutet Trump, ja?
Great article Victor. Always enjoy your views, your calm demeanor and factual reporting. Looking forward to the next four years. Cannot understand the few people I know who are experiencing TDS and are angry he won. It’s done, get over it and keep an open mind. Let’s work together to bring this country back to its greatness.
Well said VDH!
Please write something opposing the looming invasion from India, it’s a big deal, and Musk (uncharacteristically) has it dead wrong.
World leaders in the free world and beyond have witnessed the lawfare, phony impeachments, etc., etc. and yet Trump still prevailed. This gives him enormous prestige in their eyes. They respect power and he certainly has it. They will either get behind him, or out of his way, I believe.
$40 million for the Russian collusion investigation. I wonder how much the Jan. 6 committee cost us?
I would guess somewhere around our times that sum, at the least, and perhaps up to ten times. WHY? Simple: We are just now learning about he depth and breadth od the setup, collusion, embedded government operaives, surveillance, recruting and equipping hundreds of embedded government operatives, the physical damage done, the tens of thousands of man hours spent “investigating”, . the high cost of the hundreds of prosecutions, and now incarceration, followup, and the tens of thousands of man hours continuing the charade. And, since this is “the grift that keeps on grifting”, unless Trump issues a blanket and full pardon or everyone accused, this will continue on into the future indefinitely.
Warum Deutsch sprechen?
It is 36% approval rate but Republicans rarely answer pollsters. The on time I did this year, one question was “do you support the Republican Party or Trump?” OR! I told her I supported Donald Trump – the head of the Republican Party. And that I wasn’t going to play their games. There was No “or” in that sentence.
I agree with every comment but add this: I believe in a sovereign God, and that for His purposes, he puts world leaders in and takes them out as well. I pray daily for the protection of all members in this new administration and especially president Trump, but rest in the knowledge that God IS in control.
Democrats, and Liberals in general, are cheats, liars and forgers. They have no honor, no integrity. They want to sabotage, obstruct and resist President Trump and the Conservative Party. Crooks, all of them. How do you deal with people like that?
I had the answer to your titled question well before reading the first sentence but as usual the professor presented the same conclusion later in the post; 4 years of a disasterous Biden administration.
The only reason VDH failed to mention is the nation waking up to the biased left media. Then again how could we not when were saw Biden’s early stages of dementia advancing each successive month while the leftist media report that Biden was “cogent and better than he ever was”. Eventually the voters believed their own observations over the lying press!
You noted, “Trump himself proved more experienced and reflective than in 2016.” I was hopeful of this as well, at least until the old, inane bombast of confronting Panama and “buying” Greenland emerged. President-elect Trump needs to maintain his focus and not waste political capital on Don Quixote diversions…
Two stupid Democrat administrations colluded to give Panama away. Why shouldn’t a smart Republican (conservative) take it back? We already paid for it once with more than just money.
Greenland may be extremely strategic. It may also easily fall into the hands of Russia or China. Why not? It may also be a preferred destination for our millions of homeless. Who knows what kind of natural resources may be hidden under its surface.
You forgot Canada. It has the population of California but is 23.5 times larger. Before laughing it off, think about how that annexation might work out well for both parties. Plus, if we are to believe the climate alarmists, its bitter cold will only become more liveable over time!
Until he Canadians awaken from their slumber and decide their country is worth saving, I’d oppose any annexation of that country. I lived there for five years, some years back. I returned home. Here. They as a people do not value their liberties nor rights as we do, thus have not taken the PAIN to assure they are protected.
Examine how they have (not) addressed the government policies and actions back with the covidiocy. HOW did Trudeau handle the “trucker’s convoy”? And WHAT did those oppressed Canadians DO about it?
There was a faint hope tney’d wake up and rise up and take a strong stand against the tyranny being imposed upon them. Not so….
” Who are these people? Where do they reside and work? The chaos, plunder, and utter arrogance displayed by the Left is on crystal clear display yet one in three of us says “That’s great!”? The fight they started is not nearly over with the rest of us yet. We are not a docile people.”
I am reminded of a comment/quote that I have used often since I discovered it.
As I reflected on why any and all of my arguments to the left using history, the founding documents and the Founders quotes, real world economics, Scripture,et al- all failing to move the needle, I came across a quote from Jonathan Swift (Gulliver’s Travels) that put it all in perspective for me (allow me to paraphrase): “You can not reason someone out of a position they were not reasoned into in the first place.”
Similar to it is another quote from Thoreau (again, allow me to paraphrase): “For all the thousands of people who are cutting at the branches and limbs of evil, there is only one who is chopping at the roots.”
And “those people” have no desire to chop the roots.
And they believe activity is progress.
I have found it best not to confuse activity and progress.
A dog chasing its tail can cover miles…and remain in the same . exact spot.
I think it is time for the nation to begin the discussion for the addition to the 25th Amendnent which would require cognitive tests and brain imaging of the President at the age of 70. This is not ageism. It is a reality that dementia begins mostly in later decades. The nation and the world need not have to go through gaslighting again.
Yes, Professor Hanson, yes, yes, yes. The problem is that for all the persuasiveness of your analysis, the hard facts are that Ms. Harris, an utterly incompetent candidate, still received, according to my calculation, 49.17% of the total popular vote as between just her and Trump, while the Democrats actually gained three seats in the House of Representatives. She received no less than 92.4% of the vote in D.C., where Trump will reside literally surrounded by political adversaries. Good luck to him and his administration. . They will need it.
The maddening irony is:
1) From a conservative and common sense perspective, the Biden presidency will go down in history as the worst in modern times, perhaps ever.
2) From a leftist and Marxist perspective, the Biden presidency will go down in history as one of the most successful.
The important lesson: this 4 year debacle provides a valuable insight into just how awful their policies are, and how rapidly they were able to implement them.
In my mind, that is THE ONLY positive to derive from this destructive presidency. May we never forget it.
It’s difficult for me to ponder the historical nature of how thoroughly this cabal has desecrated the Constitution in their quest to destroy Trump in particular, and our country’s great history and way of life in general. We are experiencing something truly historical here.
The utter contempt for the rule of law and for anyone who disagrees with and dares to challenge their insane worldview, capped by the unprecedented and truly evil law fare waged against Trump, add up to a 4-year nightmare that was BY FAR the most destructive to our country since I began paying attention in the 80’s. I’ll leave it to the historians to determine whether it was the worst of all time.
This cancerous movement, whatever it is, needed to have its head cut off. Now comes the work of giving the rest of the body the swift burial that it so deserves – and that WE so deserve.
Grook: The Reboot
First Term’s Storm
A demon, they painted, through lawfare and lies,
A tempest of hoaxes, the truth in disguise.
Yet, battered and bruised, his resolve did not yield,
The seeds of his second act quietly revealed.
Relief’s Return
A nation grown weary of chaos and plight,
Saw vigor and vision in his newfound light.
Not tribal, but trusted, a banner to all,
The old guard dismantled, its arrogance small.
Empathy’s Might
From mug shots to fist pumps, the everyman’s cheer,
Endurance through fire made enemies fear.
For stronger than smears, than plots to derail,
The phoenix arose where the old order failed.
Credits: 50% VDH, 40% AI, 10% Other
Trump’s blend of nationalist populism, racist tropes–the hoax surrogates of Central Park 5, and divisiveness resonates with males, Christians, and white segments of the MAGA base responsible for Jan. 6th’s Insurrection e.g., Dog Whistles, Birtherism, Racist History of Donald J. Trump. Blind stupidity in his rape deposition.
The Double Standards of Character in Leadership sold by the hoax surrogates:
The 2024 election’s ethical expectations of a president e.g.: Trump’s conduct, his disparaging quotes, legal battles, his bases’ victim mentality. Then the obscene decorum, frequent mendacity, and reliance on divisive nationalist populism. Trump’s traits, paired with his attempts to appeal to middle America through tax cuts and economic policies has voters believing messaging on crime, inflation, immigration the hoax surrogates like VDH.
Character vs. Policy: Trump’s hoax surrogates sold us all a bill of goods, without a moral compass.
Rhetoric’s Consequences: The hoax surrogates’ rhetoric “immigrant Hattians are eating the dogs and cats,” isolated minority communities in ugly politics and un-American collective national unity.
David Pecker’s Catch and Kill: the National Inquire for months before the 2016 election spewed the hoax surrogates’ hate towards the Deep State, institutions, and discontent in all eight of the swing states.
Russia, Trump, and the hoax surrogates on Fox News the red state media circled back and impugned the character of all political opponents.
Professor,
What was so different this time about Trump’s election? Could I also add that the ne’er-Trumpers were less prevalent, less vocal, or absent: John McCain, Paul Ryan, George W. & HW Bush, Harry Reid, Robert Mueller, Jeb Bush, John Kasich, Lindsey Graham (he didn’t transition to pro-Trump until after the Mueller investigation started), Colin Powell, Condi Rice (your Hoover Institution Director)
Die-hard Ne’er-Trumper Quislings Liz Cheney & Adam Kinzinger were neutered; Mike Pence was marginalized
The list of ersatz Republicans & RINOs is long, I could go on but you get the gist
Respectfully
Verumipsum
Dr. Hanson, through your academic discipline you are most erudite observer of the massive and ubiquitous killing fields that were the byproduct of every political “ism” in the 20th century. Through the raw and unvarnished lens of independent street reporters around the world, now ubiquitous on social media, we are observing convergence points of sexual preference, religious, ethnic, and political extremist groups inside the United States. In your recent interview with the gentleman from the UK, you expressed a reversal of opinion on the possibility of civil war in the United States since the re-election of President Donald Trump. You now think not likely or even possible to occur. Alas we do not concur on this subject. These coalesced extremist groups are going to reemerge as they did in the summer of 2020; unfortunately, this time there will be millions of Kyle Rittenhouse’s to engage them.