Reflections on Trump’s Presidency and Its Aftermath
When Donald Trump first ascended to the presidency, I found myself in a conversation with a journalist friend in Turkey, lamenting the state of affairs. As I shared details about the numerous protests that were set to erupt, she offered a gentle reminder to brace myself for disappointment. She recounted how she and her peers had protested against Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his tenure as prime minister. Over time, however, those protests dwindled, and life in a country increasingly marked by restrictions continued on. This conversation lingered in my thoughts throughout the Trump presidency, serving as a cautionary tale against complacency.
When Trump was eventually ousted from the White House, I felt a swell of patriotic pride for the resilience of the anti-Trump movement, which had steadfastly refused to accept his authoritarian tendencies as our new reality. Yet, the current moment feels starkly different. Trump’s initial election seemed like an aberration, a tragic misstep facilitated by the Democrats’ lack of vigilance. However, this time around, the forces of liberal pluralism and fundamental civic values poured their heart and soul into the battle, only to be met with a disheartening defeat — not just in the Electoral College but likely in the popular vote as well. The American electorate, fully aware of Trump’s character, still made the choice to support him. This revelation raises an unsettling truth: this is, indeed, who we are as a nation.
Consequently, I anticipate the coming months to be marked by a profound sense of mourning rather than a spirited defiance. My instinct — which conflicts with the obligations of my profession — is to retreat into the comfort of my family, seeking solace in gatherings with friends, immersing myself in theater, and losing myself in novels. I feel the urge to shield myself from the painful reality of what my country has chosen to embrace. On Wednesday morning, I revisited an essay from The New York Review of Books published in 2019, which delved into the Russian concept of “vnutrennaya emigratsia,” or internal emigration. This idea revolves around the conscious acceptance of one’s own alienation. As Viv Groskop wrote, “For many Russian authors and artists for centuries, the idea of ‘turning inward’ and living oblivious of the political concerns of the moment has been a vital skill and even an art form.” I suspect that many of us will, at least temporarily, seek to cultivate this skill to preserve our sanity.
However, mourning inevitably transitions to either a fading sorrow or a deepening despair. When and if this shift occurs, the nature of the resistance that arises against the new MAGA regime will diverge significantly from what we have seen in the past. The hope of redeeming our country from the clutches of Trumpism — of viewing him as an anomaly — will dissipate. What remains is the more modest, yet critical, task of alleviating the suffering that his administration is poised to inflict upon us. Protesting his inauguration, as millions did in 2017, may seem futile. Yet, we must mobilize if his supporters venture into our neighborhoods to forcibly remove migrant families. Strengthening networks that assist women in red states seeking abortions will be essential, especially if Trump’s Justice Department cracks down on the distribution of abortion pills or if his F.D.A. rescinds their approval. In state and local elections, I will seek to understand how candidates propose to safeguard us from the MAGA movement’s threats to reform our public health systems and educational institutions.
In the long run, we need a vision of liberal politics that transcends mere defense against the right. Trump, after all, is a particularly disturbing embodiment of historical forces that are reshaping political landscapes across the Western world, elevating nationalist leaders such as Viktor Orban in Hungary and Giorgia Meloni in Italy, while empowering the rise of right-wing parties like Alternative for Germany and France’s National Rally. One can critique Kamala Harris for focusing too heavily on courting moderate Republican women or for the vagueness of her “opportunity economy” rhetoric. Yet, few politicians globally have successfully managed to unite a coalition that encompasses both affluent, educated, cosmopolitan elites and blue-collar voters who value tradition and social stability. Achieving this unity may no longer be feasible, but it will undoubtedly demand a compelling vision of what a thriving progressive society entails.
Ultimately, the singular redeeming quality of Trump is his glaring incompetence. History suggests that many individuals he brings into his administration will come to harbor disdain for him. He is unlikely to provide the economic relief that his supporters are desperately seeking. Should he proceed with his proposals for universal tariffs, economists predict a surge in inflation. Trump’s close ally, Elon Musk, has suggested that Americans will need to endure “some temporary hardship” as part of aggressive austerity measures imposed on the federal government. We witnessed how Trump managed a major crisis during the Covid pandemic, and there is no reason to believe he will fare any better in the face of future challenges. I have little doubt that many who cast their votes for him will come to regret their choice. He could even end up undermining the credibility of bombastic right-wing nationalism much like George W. Bush did to neoconservatism after his re-election, which also left me heartbroken.
