August 2024: Donald Trump promises that if elected President for a second time, he will lower prices on everything, including groceries. No caveat. No “here’s what we’ll try to do”. A definitive statement made time and time again on the campaign trail, stating it will happen on day one of his new Administration. Republicans and MAGA acolytes crow about the inevitability of Trump making life more affordable for everyone.
December 2024: Donald Trump forced to admit it will be “very hard”, if not impossible, to bring down the price of groceries. Trump does not apologize for any earlier statement and sheepishly admits it just can’t be done that easily, that quickly. Republicans and MAGA acolytes have absolutely nothing to say as they slink into the background.
While there is no video known to exist, if there were a snippet available, we would see Trump smile and then break into laughter when turning from the podium and microphones making this admission.
A master class in being a politician. Shovel the nonsense, then bury people in reality. The entire exercise performed with the politician already having won the big prize, now able to backtrack without any fear whatsoever of reprisal.
I have the gig, suckers. You gave it to me.
Donald Trump has spent years cultivating the image of an outsider—a self-made billionaire untainted by the so-called swamp of Washington politics. But as he gears up for another presidential term, Trump has become the epitome of the consummate politician—making sweeping promises, walking back unachievable goals, and employing masterful political theatrics. Despite claiming he’s “not a politician,” Trump has outdone even the most seasoned Washington insiders in playing the political game.
Broken Promises and Empty Rhetoric
Trump’s political mastery lies in his unmatched ability to make grandiose promises with no basis in reality. Consider that recent pledge to lower grocery prices—a bold declaration that vanished as soon as it became clear that no president can control supermarket costs in a global economy. This empty promise fits a long pattern of bluster followed by backpedaling.
During his first term, Trump promised to eliminate the national debt in eight years. Instead, it ballooned by nearly $7.8 trillion, a reality he conveniently ignored while campaigning on “fiscal responsibility.” His infamous “Mexico will pay for the wall” pledge also faded into oblivion, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for a partially built barrier that is falling apart faster than Trump’s con job.
His 2024 campaign trail was littered with similar fabrications. Remember his bold claim that “Only I can fix it”? As if complex global challenges could be resolved by sheer force of will. His declaration that he would bring back manufacturing jobs en masse conveniently overlooked automation trends and global trade realities.
It won’t happen. It can’t happen. American companies cannot build the manufacturing infrastructure quick enough and efficiently enough to just snap fingers and bring back certain jobs. It was a lie from the get-go, and the suckers fell for it like lead balloons.
Political Tactics Masterclass
What makes Trump such an accomplished politician is his skill in manipulating public perception. He has perfected the art of perpetual campaigning, never transitioning into the governing mode typical of past presidents. His rallies, filled with fervent supporters, are a continuous feedback loop where he refines his talking points based on applause rather than policy feasibility.
Despite repeatedly calling the media “fake news,” Trump has masterfully used it to his advantage. His ability to dominate news cycles with provocative statements keeps him at the center of national attention. This manipulation of public discourse is political brilliance—though hardly in the interest of the American people.
His second bite of the American apple is already rife with his weaponizing of the media by turning loose his sycophants and those who will carry the water for Trump, so long as he rewards them handsomely. That in itself is part of the con, because Trump has a very long history of reneging on any and every agreement where it means money flows out instead of in. As a master politician, he sends his lackeys into the field to take the heat, and they count on Trump to back them in other ventures and employment when the time is right. Good luck with that.
When on stage, Trump is there for Trump. He is there to promote himself and his brand. He bellows in order to ensure that his exclusive sneakers will sell, his cryptocurrency will rise in value, his properties will remain a focal point of payoff and pomp for the wealthy of the world to pay fealty to him.
Conning the Electorate—Twice
It’s astonishing that Trump managed to secure not one but two electoral victories using the same strategy: selling an idealized version of America’s future while sidestepping accountability for his past failures. His 2024 victory came despite a track record of broken promises, ethics scandals, and two impeachments.
What’s more telling is how many voters fell for the same con a second time. After experiencing four years of chaos, millions still believed that Trump alone could fix what he helped break. In that sense, he has achieved the pinnacle of political success: convincing people to buy the same product after the first one failed to deliver.
From Outspoken Candidate to Calculating Power Player
On the campaign trail, Trump is loud, brash, and seemingly unrestrained. Yet his recent post-election silence is telling. He knows that the time for showmanship has passed, and the business of consolidating power has begun. His calculated quiet suggests a politician aware of the limits of rhetoric now that real political leverage is within reach.
Trump knows he screwed up the first time around, allowing his bluster and buffoonery to rule the day. He now sees the political wisdom of doing things differently. He has succeeded in the con. Now he has to keep it alive in order to keep the suckers fooled.
Trump’s allies are already positioning themselves for influential roles, ensuring that loyalty—not competence—will shape his administration. This, too, is a classic political maneuver: rewarding allies while sidelining dissenters.
There is no shock that Trump is filling Cabinet posts with sycophants and ass-kissers. He has built an near-impenetrable shield around him, where there are plenty of “fall guys” ready to be chucked over the side when the time is right. Even Trump has to know that the majority of those he is handing power to will fail, and some of them miserably. No worries. A master politician has plenty more where they came from, and plenty of ass left to smooch.
Trump isn't the first to set this path. He's just better at it, and breaking the law, than anyone else.
The Danger of Political Denial
By pretending he’s not a politician, Trump has managed to avoid many of the accountability measures that typically apply to career politicians. His supporters believe he operates outside the corrupt political system when, in reality, he manipulates it better than anyone.
Donald Trump is the corrupt political system. He is their leader, their standard-bearer, their golden calf. Not since Richard Nixon has the White House been such a den of lies and fraud. Nixon screwed it up so badly using bungling burglars, he never got a second chance. Trump was much smarter, counting on and then being rewarded with the inane gullibility of an electorate that had become historically politically inept and illiterate.
His promises for the next term—like cutting taxes while increasing military spending and reducing the deficit—are mathematically impossible. But that’s the genius of Trump’s political strategy: facts and feasibility are irrelevant when you can sell a compelling narrative. And when yo have an audience prepped and ready to buy into the con.
Is Trump simply the politician we deserve?
Donald Trump’s transformation from a political outsider to the ultimate politician is a cautionary tale in American democracy. His ability to con millions while claiming to be the antithesis of a politician is both a testament to his political skill and an indictment of a system that rewards spectacle over substance.
As the next four years unfold, Americans must recognize Trump for what he truly is: not a rogue businessman fighting for the common man, but a master politician whose survival depends on making promises he knows he can’t keep.
In that regard, Trump has become the politician every con artist aspires to be—and every voter should fear.
A master politician.
Comments