America stands at a crossroads, but one truth is undeniable: Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, our nation has been reminded of what it looks like to lead with strength, clarity, and conviction. The question that some in the woke media now ask — “Are you better off since Donald Trump took office?” — is not just rhetorical. It strikes at the heart of what leadership means and whether America has regained its footing after years of drift and decline under the Left’s policies.
The short answer is yes, we are better off. We are safer, stronger, and more competitive than we were just eight months ago. And while critics try to distract with polls or cherry-picked anecdotes, the evidence speaks for itself: America under Trump is back on offense.
From the first day of the Trump–Vance administration, the economy has been tackled head-on.
Sweeping tax and regulatory reforms have been paired with bold trade policies that force our competitors to deal with us on fair terms. Tariffs on European imports, matched with new energy export agreements, have boosted American industry and secured markets for U.S. workers. For too long, Washington, D.C., has allowed our trading partners to take advantage of U.S. labor and innovation. Trump has reversed that pattern, making clear that the days of one-sided deals are over.
The results are historic. Under Trump’s pro-growth agenda, American businesses are experiencing one of the strongest earnings booms in modern history. Aggregate S&P 500 earnings are up 11% over last year, nearly three times higher than Wall Street expected. An extraordinary 84% of companies have beaten earnings estimates, the highest share in almost four years. More than 60% have exceeded forecasts by more than a standard deviation, according to Goldman Sachs. Even more telling, 58% of companies have raised their full-year guidance, double the number from just the first quarter.
The stock market reflects this surge in confidence. The S&P 500 is up nearly 10% this year, setting record high after record high. Mentions of the word “recession” in corporate earnings calls have plunged by 84% compared to the previous quarter. David Kostin, Goldman Sachs’s chief U.S. equity strategist, summarized it plainly: “The quarter has been marked by one of the greatest frequency of earnings beats on record.”
This momentum is not limited to Wall Street; it is translating to Main Street. Companies across America are investing, hiring, and expanding again. They cite Trump’s landmark “one big, beautiful bill” — a sweeping piece of tax and regulatory reform legislation — as the catalyst for renewed optimism, stronger customer demand, and accelerated capital investment. In short, businesses once again believe America is the best place in the world to grow.
At the same time, Trump has unleashed a national effort to dominate the technologies of the future. His initiative on artificial intelligence is not just about innovation; it is about survival. China has been pouring resources into AI to expand its influence and cement its global dominance. By committing to building and controlling the most advanced systems here at home, Trump is ensuring that high-paying jobs, critical security, and future prosperity remain in American hands. This vision ties together economic growth with strategic defense in a way no previous administration has even attempted.
The results extend beyond economics. On the global stage, Trump’s diplomacy has been bold and unconventional, but effective. His summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, followed by meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders, has placed the United States, not Brussels, not Beijing, at the center of the discussion about ending the war in Ukraine. Critics howl that engaging Russia is risky. But Americans remember that during Trump’s first term, peace and deterrence held because adversaries knew where the U.S. stood. Today, he is once again reshaping the world order by insisting on peace through strength, not endless conflict through weakness.
At home, Trump has taken decisive action on law and order, starting with our nation’s capital. By deploying the National Guard and assuming federal oversight of the district’s police, he is addressing a crisis local leaders have ignored for years. Crime has spiraled out of control in the shadow of the Capitol, and Trump said enough. Even former critics have admitted that his crackdown is restoring order to a city where residents and visitors alike deserve to feel safe.
So, back to the question: Are you better off? If you are a factory worker whose job was saved because America refused to bow to unfair trade deals, you are better off. If you are a family living in Washington, D.C., neighborhoods where crime is finally being confronted, you are better off. If you are an engineer or student entering a tech workforce that now sees AI as an American, not Chinese, domain, you are better off.
Yes, there are those who feel the pain of transition. Tariffs can raise prices in the short term, and reforms have led to cuts in bloated programs that some relied on. But leadership is not about short-term comfort. It is about long-term strength. Critics who obsess over a dip in the polls miss the larger picture: Trump is building a foundation for lasting American power.
TRUMP THREATENS ADDITIONAL TARIFFS ON COUNTRIES IMPOSING DIGITAL TAXES ON US TECH COMPANIES
Eight months into his second administration, the contrast with what came before could not be clearer. Under weak leadership, America lost ground, confidence, and credibility. Under Trump, America is once again charting its own destiny.
That is why the answer to the media’s question is simple. Yes, we are better off — not just today but tomorrow and in the years to come. Under Trump, America is not simply surviving but thriving, leading, and winning again.
Jorge Martínez is a senior adviser and national director of Hispanic Outreach for America First Works. He formerly served as press secretary at the Department of Justice.