The Unyielding Resilience of Donald Trump

I can no longer count the instances in which I’ve confidently predicted the downfall of Donald Trump. Each time I believed that a serious misstep would finally bring him crashing down, he instead emerged stronger.

I anticipated that the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape in 2016 would lead to his withdrawal from the race. I thought that his incendiary rhetoric during the January 6th insurrection, where he incited a mob to hunt down political figures like Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence, would seal his fate. I was convinced that his controversial decision to stack the Supreme Court with judges who would strip away women’s reproductive rights would thwart his attempts at a comeback. I predicted that his chaotic, aggressive final weeks of campaigning would surely lead to his undoing.

Yet, time and again, Trump has defied expectations, refusing to vanish into obscurity like a puff of orange smoke. Each time, he resurfaced, demonstrating an uncanny ability to reconnect with voters I believed he had lost, even as he, JD Vance, and his rallying enthusiasts unabashedly derided numerous voting demographics.

We must now confront a reality that many find difficult to accept: a significant number of Americans genuinely want Trump at the helm. Even among Republicans who may cringe at his statements and actions, there exists a palpable approval of his policies regarding the economy, immigration, and his assertion to “keep men out of women’s sports.”

In a recent outreach effort aimed at garnering support from Black and Latino voters, Trump visited a barbershop in the Bronx, where he conveyed his controversial message: “They take your kid. There are some places where your boy leaves for school and comes back a girl, OK, without parental consent.”

As we brace ourselves for what lies ahead, we must fasten our seatbelts. This journey through America’s political landscape promises to be anything but smooth.