21 January 2025

President Donald Trump left Washington four years ago a defeated man.

He lost a bitter electoral battle. He faced recriminations over the Capitol riot. This is not to mention a host of criminal charges.

F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said, “There are no second acts in the lives of Americans.”

But he probably wasn't writing about sports or politics. In athletics, Rocky Belair, Tommy John, and even Michael Jordan come to mind.

Country singer Carrie Underwood shakes hands with US President Donald Trump after performing a song

Country singer Carrie Underwood shakes hands with US President Donald Trump after performing the song “America the Beautiful” during Trump's inauguration in the rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 20, 2025. (Sean Theo/Pool via Reuters)

Trump wins the 2024 presidential election

Politics is full of comebacks – Richard Nixon, Winston Churchill and Vladimir Lenin are at the top of the list.

So does the president Donald Trump.

He is now only the second The US President returns to office. President Grover Cleveland served his first term from 1885 to 1889. But Cleveland lost the presidency in 1888. Cleveland won the popular vote – but lost the Electoral College to President Benjamin Harrison. However, Cleveland rallied to defeat Harrison in 1892 and returned to the White House.

So this is the second act for Mr. Trump. At least in the presidency.

For him, the president enjoys unprecedented popular support. He received 77 million votes, but failed to reach 50%. But the president received a strong 312 electoral votes.

Second Lady Osha Vance, Vice President J.D. Vance, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participate in the passing ceremony for outgoing President of the United States Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden

Second Lady Osha Vance, Vice President J.D. Vance, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participate in the departure ceremony for outgoing United States President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden on the East Front of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C. after Donald Trump is sworn in as President on January 20 2025.
(Chris Kleponis/Pool via Reuters)

Thus, Mr. Trump, like Cleveland, has entered his second act. What lies ahead?

The forecast is astronomical.

“America passed judgment on November 5,” Senator Katie Britt, Republican of Alabama, said on Fox. “They spoke loud and clear.”

Highlights from President-elect Donald Trump's first inauguration day; What to expect from Monday

Republicans have promised radical change.

“When I see peace starting to emerge again around the world,” Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said on Fox. “They'll say, 'This is the stability we've been asking for.'” “My father is back.”

Byron Donalds speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention

Rep. Byron Donalds (Fla.) speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 15, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

The repressions are coming.

“When you have wide-open borders, you don't have safety, security, or even sovereignty,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, told NBC.

The president returns to power with more GOP unity than in 2016. Republicans in Congress have been far from standing behind him. House Republicans had 241 seats at the time. His most ardent supporters on Capitol Hill were people who had stopped serving. Former Representatives Chris Collins, Republican of New York, and Duncan Hunter Jr., Republican of California, were his first supporters in the House of Representatives. Both were convicted on unrelated criminal charges and left Congress. Then Mr. Trump pardoned them. His biggest supporter in the Senate was former Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala. Sessions left the Senate to serve as Mr. Trump's first attorney general. He served less than two years in office, and stepped down at the request of the president.

Republicans in Congress were skeptical of Trump at the time. Former House Speaker Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, led the campaign to repeal Obamacare. After the GOP was forced to withdraw the bill in the House, Republicans finally gathered votes to repeal the bill a month later. The bill stalled in the Senate after the late Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, voted no. But the House's failure on the first try tells you all you need to know about where the party stands and how much influence Mr. Trump wields.

But lawmakers went all out with Trump's much-vaunted tax cuts later in the year.

But unity is different among Republicans this time. The administration and lawmakers are starting with the agenda of reducing taxes and reducing the deficit.

“Right now, there's a debate about whether we'll have one bill or two bills here. The process doesn't matter to us. We just know we have to make it happen for the American people,” Senator Mike said. Tours, RSD, on Fox. “It's a lot further ahead than it was eight years ago.”

But one GOP senator has a warning for his colleagues.

“I think the first priority for the Republican Party should be securing that border,” Senator Lindsey Graham told CBS. “Put the tax cuts and spending cuts together later.”

It will be about mathematics. Despite their ambitious legislative ambitions to approve tranches of money for the border – but at the same time cut spending and cut taxes. Republicans have a slim majority in the House of Representatives. With the resignation of former Representative Michael Waltz, Republican of Florida, to become National Security Advisor, the number of Republican votes in the House of Representatives will decrease to 218 votes. That majority dwindles to 217 when Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik resigns to become ambassador to the United Nations — assuming she receives Senate confirmation.

So, moving anything through the House will be difficult despite the goals.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and President-elect Donald Trump shake hands

US House Speaker Mike Johnson shakes hands with US President-elect Donald Trump on stage at the House Republican Conference meeting at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill on November 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)

Frankly, they may need help from Democrats on some issues – such as avoiding a government shutdown or raising the debt ceiling.

“Even though my colleagues have been talking about the president having a mandate and he has earned it electorally, that mandate does not exist in the House,” Rep. Jared Moskowitz, Democrat of Florida, said on Fox. “They barely have a majority. So if they want to work with us, I think they will find a willing partner.”

Confirmation votes will be held soon on Trump's Cabinet picks.

“He needs a team that can be disruptive,” Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., told Fox. “They want to disrupt. They want to think outside the box.”

But some choices can be very annoying.

Consider nominee for Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Senate committees have not yet scheduled hearings for either. Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth will likely have the votes needed for confirmation. But the Senate may need to take a procedural vote to break a Democratic filibuster in order to pass Hegseth for confirmation.

However, Democrats are recalibrating their approach to Trump 2.0.

“I think last time Democrats resisted the president on everything,” Moskowitz said. “It was just constant anger. And I think this time they need to shift to a different strategy of selective resistance.”

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So Trump's second act has begun. Issues that Grover Cleveland addressed? Silver tariffs and policy. Mr. Trump will not need to struggle with the latter topic (we assume). But you know about the pending battle over tariffs and issues with China, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere.

The new president has about two years to implement his policies and pass his legislative agenda through Congress. But people expect results.

That's the thing about the second business. In sports. And in politics. Only in the theater are there a third.

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