When we analyze Donald Trump and his relationship with the Deep State, it is important to note that an important part of his character was that he was an unorthodox outsider. Whether you like him or not, Donald Trump is not a “normal” politician.
Donald Trump entered politics as an outsider. Donald Trump was largely in real estatbefore running for president and amassed a net worth of $4.5 Billion before he ran in 2016(“Donald Trump”). Donald Trump was in business his entire life and was not a career politician
like many in politics are. This created a certain amiability between him and his constituents.Donald Trump also exercised a very unorthodox campaign style. Donald Trump communicated with his voters and gave his views on varying issues via Twitter. According to CNN, Trump, during the 2016 election, tweeted 8,000 times and 25,000 times during his presidency (Vazquez and Hickey, Krishnakumar, Boschma 1)! CNN adds that, “Trump has continued to tweet more with each additional year in office. He has tweeted more than 25,000 times — an average of 18 times per day — since taking office in January 2017, including retweets. His longest break from Twitter was just 1.9 days without tweeting in June 2017” (1). This isn't a markedly “outsider” trait, but showed that he was unorthodox in the way he ran his campaign.
He also was an outsider when it came to his views on trade. Trump was a proponent of protectionism and explicitly believed putting American enterprise before international free trade (Trade Wars, Trump Tariffs, and Protectionism Explained). This was at odds with the GOP establishment who promoted free trade over Trump’s modern day Mercantilism. The BBC reports that, “The Republican Party is also overwhelmingly against Mr Trump on tariffs - they're big supporters of free trade” (1). Donald Trump blew in the face of his party. Donald Trump came into the race as a man who, even if you disagree with his stances, had beliefs that made him an outsider to those around him.
Donald Trump is also extremely populist in his political philosophy. Populism is not antithetical to conservatism, but is not an exclusively conservative ideology. Bernie Sanders is also a populist, but is by no means a conservative. John Cassidy of the New Yorker describes this “new” populism of the both of them as a populism that, “connotes a deep suspicion of political, corporate, and media élites; an eagerness to mobilize people who are new to politics; and a willingness to embrace policies that have long seemed verboten” (Cassidy 1). Trump promoted populism in the primaries, which set him apart from his opponents and then really distinguished himself in the general election from Hillary Clinton, a political elite and mainstay. We see then how Trump came into politics as an outsider who put himself at odds, for better or for worse, with those around him. In my next paragraph I will show that him being an outsider to Washington stems from his individualistic nature.
Donald Trump is known for many different aspects of his personality, but his individualism is known to friends and foes alike. Donald Trump, come rain or come shine, will do everything his way. We see this in the way his campaign was structured. His campaign was
structured around his personality.The Washington Post articulated that, “Trump already had an established, world-famous brand. He used his celebrity name to attract attention and amplify his campaign message over Hillary Clinton’s” (Rivero 1). The Washington Post further showed how part of Trump’s popularity lies in his ability to distinguish from the competition (Rivero 1). The article lays out the Trump brand and Trump’s known eccentricity from his former business days set him apart in politics and carried over into the world of governance (1). Donald Trump would act the same way in the political world and carry a certain distinctiveness, where he would actively try to set himself apart from the norms of his opponents. Donald Trump’s individualism is shown by his constant tweeting, where even if it harmed him, he would literally tweet whatever came into his mind. Donald Trump’s individualism is seen in his keen ability to pursue what he wants to do in the face of even those that advise him otherwise.
Trump, whether you agree with the man’s views or not, does not care what his superiors or elites in his party say and will pursue his own agenda. This has put him in hot water, but nevertheless we see how Trump will do what he wants despite public or private pressure.
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