
Trump Comeback: From Unpopularity to Unstoppable Victory
Trump Comeback: As Donald Trump left Washington in January 2021, he left behind a presidency that had turned out to be a shambles: failing in the eyes of many and with plummeting approval ratings. But Trump had said long ago that this was going to be far from the last that the Americans see of him. “Goodbye. We love you. We will be back in some form,” he said to his faithful supporters at Joint Base Andrews, before a formal 21-gun salute and aboard Air Force One for the last time His words, like much of what came from his lips recently cryptic but powerful: “We will see you soon.”
Fast-forward four years, and here are those words finally coming to be: from a highly unpopular ex-president to a powerful force in American politics. The story is that of resilience, ambition, and an undeniable will to reclaim the spotlight.
Trump Comeback, victory over incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris was a stunning come-from-behind victory, unthinkable even at the end of the tumultuous 2020 election, when his supporters stormed the Capitol in protest of his loss. Since then, Trump has suffered a series of knocks: accusations for the losses Republicans suffered, four times indicted, ruled guilty on 34 counts of felony, ruled to have inflated his assets by fraud in a civil case, where he was also found liable for sexual abuse. His trials will cost him over half a billion dollars in fines, and the possibility of jail time continues.
Yet Trump turned that legal headache into a campaign rallying cry, tapping into the frustration in voters’ voices. Tapping widespread discontent regarding inflation and economic hardship, he used podcasts and social media to connect with a new generation, broadcasting a message of defiance to people who felt ignored as they shared their abhorrence of the status quo.
‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’
Trump Comeback: Trump entered the general election season after a landslide sweep through the GOP primaries, where he decisively defeated a crowded field of candidates. The series of indictments he faced became the central feature of news coverage, thrusting his legal battles into public view. And in another irony, the indictments united the party. Even Trump’s former rivals within the GOP found themselves falling into line for him, as he framed himself as the target of a politically motivated campaign designed to weaken his chances.
Trump Comeback: In late June, Trump held a long-anticipated debate with President Joe Biden, one on which the Biden campaign had pressed for a long time. But for Biden, the night turned out disastrous. Throughout this exchange, he seemed to fight hard to stay focused, losing the thread of his thoughts and speaking in incomprehensible sentences. Yet this contrasted starkly with a much surer Trump; setting him up as an almost undeniable alternative for those displeased with the direction in which the current administration is headed.
Trump’s steam only intensified with each challenge that rolled his way, especially pushing forward his story that he’s tough and ready enough for the presidency again.