January 09, 2025

Welcome to the Year of Trump

38 minutes

Scott Miller on Trump’s return: decoding the voters and the power behind the presidency

When Donald Trump becomes the 49th President of the United States, the whole world will be watching, with people holding their breath in expectation of almost Biblical levels of chaos and confusion. Ironically, it seems that his return to power may be seen as less dramatic by many Americans: after all, he made his way back to the White House by somewhat unexpectedly (at least at the time) winning the Republican primaries, gaining complete control of the Republican Party, and then winning a majority of the national presidential vote.

For many Americans, Trump never went away.

The fact is that Donald Trump has dominated American and global politics like no one since Franklin Roosevelt. That’s rare company and undoubtedly will be considered outrageous by many who think Trump is no more than a lucky, narcissistic sociopath. While he may be all that, he is also incredibly powerful. In any event, the corollary is that, like FDR, Trump's power is a function, not just of his own personality, but of his unique bond with a majority of the American people.

In other words, if you want to understand what's likely to happen during Trump II, you need to understand the voters.

This episode of New Thinking for a New World aims to shed light on what drives the soon-to-be re-inaugurated president, at least partly by answering a simple question: why did a majority of American voters choose Trump?

Scott Miller has answers. He is a seasoned political and corporate consultant who has had a successful career electing (or sometimes defeating) political candidates and helping to build some of the most successful global American corporate brands. Miller knows Trump; so what does he think?

And, what do you think: how will Trump change America or the world? (But please tell us after you listen to the podcast!)

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