Donald Trump: The Road to Make America Great Again

As the President Donald Trump enters twentieth month of his rogue leadership, it is obvious his leadership has been challenged or even called disruptive, unique, and unpredictable. United States policies in economics, politics, and foreign affairs are surprisingly changing. It was proper in line with President Donald Trump getting elected despite he was the most unpopular candidate, but, in the end, he received more electoral votes than any Republican since three decades ago.

Yet, since the very first time he is making pavements for America to be great again. It was mentioned thousand times at his election campaign back in 2017. Does the Mr. President build that road properly? Will he make it? Contemplating Trump progress in leading US policies, I have listed two important highlights to measure the potential of America to be great again.

Economy

During his first year of presidency, Trump succeeds to drop the unemployment rate to the lowest level since April 2000. Trump tweeted,

“In many ways this is the greatest economy in the HISTORY of America and the best time EVER to look for a job!”

It was later criticized by some economic analysts as questioning this record whether it is Trump’s work or Obama’s remaining leadership treasure. Business leaders such as JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon say the tax cuts and deregulation under Trump have boosted their profits and spurred many companies to hire more workers. Despite, it was exaggerated to deduce the fact above as the greatest economy in the history of US. The word economy was too broad to describe it due to economy could be viewed in many aspects. The US economy was more great in 1940s, 1960s, and 1980s. In modern era, numbers and variety of jobs are highly rising, hence it is obvious unemployment rate follows.

Unfortunately, the economic growth is not picking up like Trump promised to exceed 4 or 5 percent a year – scoffed Obama’s average 2 percent record – it is disappointing due to Trump can only work for 2.3 percent economic growth a year by the first quarter of 2018. It is way too far to break previous years records when economic growth averaged above 5 percent a year in 1960s.

Foreign Policy

The atmosphere of US foreign policy under Trump administration is almost all dreary. Donald Trump’s “America First” slogan morphed into “Me First” as the president unloaded on the U.S. intelligence community and Justice Department to portray himself as the victim of a conspiracy to deny him legitimacy. His choice by pulling out US from the Paris Climate Accord, supported by nearly every nation around the globe, was not helpful in demonstrating America’s international leadership. The international trend of US leadership reputation in the worldwide is shrinking down except one and only country, Israel.

But, what about US-North Korea’s meeting? Is it a good sign? The two states intention to meet in Singapore on June 12, 2018 was good at first. However, the following results of the Summit was not really significant. Trump once said after the Summit to the Americans that they should sleep well because there is no more nuclear threat from North Korea.  Sure enough, the critics attack his statement by calling the US-North Korea Summit was a failed summit and doomed to failure.

“They shook hands; they exchanged words. When the balloons went away, when the confetti went away, there was nothing there to require the North Koreans to do what was necessary in order to denuclearize,” said Leon Panetta, former defense secretary and CIA director under President Obama.