Rating Trump's (Second) First Year In Office

It shows what's possible in politics

Donald Trump’s first year in office was a whirlwind of activity. It certainly exceeded the expectations of many observers—in both good and bad ways.

How should the Right assess Trump’s second first year in the White House? I offered a lengthy review for the January issue of Chronicles Magazine. I think Trump has largely been a tremendous success in the first 12 months, with significant progress made on immigration, affirmative action, and DEI.

Trump has shown much greater zeal in delivering progress on immigration, anti-wokeness, and trade than he ever did in the 2010s. There have been serious gains in right-wing policy in just the first year.

However, not everything has been perfect. The economy is sluggish. Trump, at times, veers from his America First message to suggest support for mass immigration and other suspect causes, dampening his base’s enthusiasm. The president has also been hit with scandals, such as the furor over the Epstein files, which has distracted from his administration’s priorities. His foreign policy, while an improvement over Joe Biden’s, has left much to be desired.

That said, the second Trump administration has been the best presidential administration in my lifetime—and we’re only one year in.

It’s necessary to highlight where Trump has been successful and where he could improve. There’s a good chance President Trump can put America back on the right path. He just needs to stay focused on what matters and not get swept up by the torrent of social-media buffoonery.

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