Perhaps no president in the history of the United States has divided the American people as much as Donald Trump. A portrait of a man who has always been extreme.
“I’ve never experienced such energy.” It’s sentences like this that people say when they meet him for the first time. When Donald Trump enters a room, whether a large hall or a small hall, it really seems as if more than just one person comes in with him.
Donald Trump (77) awakens long-forgotten memories. It’s no coincidence that the same playlist from the late 70s and early 80s has been played at each of his performances for years. As soon as the song “YMCA” by the Village People from 1978 is heard, it is a signal for his followers: “Right now the Grand Master is speaking to you and promises to make America as great again as you did in the late era of the former US -President Ronald Reagan still thinks he knows him.” At that time, after winning two world wars and the end of the Cold War, the USA looked like the final victors at what was supposed to be the end of history.
Long before Donald Trump became the leader of the Make America Great Again political cult, he had occupied a significant place in American history. Born on June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York, Trump started out as a businessman at an early age, navigated his way resourcefully and ruthlessly through the real estate world and celebrated legendary successes there. His father’s company laid the foundation for his future empire.
Trump became a brand that stood for opulence, wealth and the American dream. His name has always been emblazoned in gold letters on its skyscrapers and above its golf resorts. Even American rappers pay homage to Donald Trump and his lavish lifestyle in their songs.
He gained his greatest fame with his own TV show “The Apprentice”. In this show, a total of 16 candidates competed against each other to convince Donald Trump and the other jurors that they were the most talented. The winner received $250,000 and a job in the Trump corporate empire. The multi-billionaire tended early on to primarily market himself. And that drive ultimately led him to the White House.
In 2016, Trump ultimately defied all political conventions and secured the Republican nomination for president. He launched a campaign that appealed to a clearly large, dissatisfied portion of the American population. His unfiltered rhetoric, often communicated via Twitter, struck a chord with those who felt unheard.
A rallying cry for change
His promise to “Make America Great Again” became a rallying cry for his voters hoping for change. His political opponents accused him of racism, nationalism and sexism.
With his victory against Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump finally achieved something that money cannot simply buy, even in the USA. Politically the most powerful man in the world, he held the office of president from 2017 to 2021.
Once in the Oval Office, Trump’s presidency was characterized above all by unpredictability. Domestically, his policy decisions ranged from tax cuts for the rich intended to stimulate economic growth to a controversial and harsh immigration policy that sparked violent protests.
