Against all the odds, President-elect Donald Trump is just weeks away from returning to the White House for the ultimate political sequel of all time. But while it’ll be a box office hit, the title of this edition is still up for debate — maybe Donald Trump Returns, Donald Trump and the Last Crusade, or Donald Trump! Here We Go Again? — because we’re yet to find out which version of Trump we’re going to get.
With that in mind, and with Jan. 1 peeking over the horizon, here are some New Year’s resolutions that will ensure Trump’s second administration will be a sequel like Aliens, Terminator 2, or The Godfather Part II, and less like Big Momma’s House 2, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, or (dare we say it) The Godfather Part III.
Focus on the Big Three
Too often, presidential elections are simply a Rorschach test for each voter’s personal set of issues, for which their chosen candidate represents the one-size-fits-all solution. Upset over a lack of term limits or crime in urban areas or bad traffic downtown? The president will fix it!
Of course, the vast array of problems facing our nation go far beyond the control of the single individual we place in the White House. However, when it comes to the three issues that truly decided this election — the economy, illegal immigration, and foreign policy — Trump has the opportunity to effect pivotal change. And it’s an opportunity he must seize.
If he focuses on fixing the economy, securing the border, and extinguishing the fires of war across the world, Trump’s second term can be remembered as one of the most consequential in modern history.
Remember who the enemy is
One of Trump’s primary weaknesses — and yes, folks, he has weaknesses — is his unrelenting desire for positive media attention. Put simply, he has a yearning to be liked. Understandable, sure, but in the world of Republican politics, you’re as likely to be adored by today’s legacy media as you are to escape unscathed from an intimate hunting trip with former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Prior to and during his first term in office, Trump had a soft spot for the media: a soft spot that was a relic of his past life as a media star. But that media star is long gone, replaced by something much more: something that requires not only rising above this thirst for attention, but also understanding that the legacy media are the enemy.
It is no longer enough to parrot the phrase “fake news” to the delight of the base. Trump must remember that American conservatism has (at least) two enemies: the Democratic Party and the legacy media.
Don’t lose your movement’s core values
One concern that grew during Trump’s presidential campaign was that a potential outcome of the “big tent” philosophy could be the expansion of our movement’s ideological tent far beyond the limits of conservatism.
We’ve seen this in more subjective ways — for example, the embrace of labor policies that are arguably anti-conservative — but these shifts pale in comparison to the foundational shift that would be represented by handing someone such as Robert F. Kenndedy Jr. a high-profile role in a Republican administration. Setting aside his many issues — including decades of radical climate activism, vaccine denial, and the messy personal life of apparently every Kennedy — the fact remains: RFK Jr. is the opposite of a conservative, and handing a pro-abortion progressive a Cabinet position in a supposedly pro-life party draws a line in the sand that will take decades to erase.
Don’t do it. Cut him loose.
Beware of the fruit flies
Trump is one of the most famous people in the world, both politically and culturally, and he has also built one of the most recognizable, and marketable, domestic movements in recent history: Make America Great Again.
The result? There is profit to be made, and profit that goes far beyond cringey merchandise such as NFTs, Trump Sneakers, or (my personal favorite act of blasphemy) the Trump-endorsed Bible. We’re talking about ideological profit, with MAGA as the delivery system, meaning that Trump will be encircled with people who are willing to use MAGA as a vehicle for their own goals, even if it means selling MAGA and conservatism down the river.
As a great man once said, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and Trump is responsible for making sure that MAGA is not consumed by those who seek its power.
Stay disciplined
This resolution is almost worn out at this point, but with Trump displaying (comparatively) stunning levels of discipline in recent months, it’s worth repeating. Trump must continue to be the disciplined version of himself we dreamed of during his first administration. This will, of course, rely on surrounding himself with grown adults who live in reality, and so far, it seems his closest inner circle is living up to this particular billing.
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But like all Republican executives, Trump remains surrounded by enemies, both from within and without. If he hopes to achieve his administration’s objectives, he cannot afford to lose focus. As a candidate, he faced every obstacle in the book — including lawfare, propaganda, and violence. Unfortunately, things will only get worse for him as president of the United States.
To succeed, Trump must employ discipline that mirrors the seriousness of the dangers he, along with the entire nation, faces. Nothing else will be enough.
Ian Haworth is a columnist, speaker, and podcast host. You can find him on Substack and follow him on X at @ighaworth.