Trump’s Presidency: Serving the Elite, Straining the Public
Wealthy Interests Thrive as Everyday Americans Pay the Price
Trump’s presidency thus far has exposed a troubling reality: he is not a leader for the people but a servant to the wealthiest elites. From his first day in office, his actions have made it clear that his interests are not aligned with those of average Americans—unless you’re a billionaire or a corporate executive. At his inauguration, tech billionaires were seated closer to him than his cabinet appointees, signaling where his priorities lie, leaving no posit of online life untouched by government influence.
Trump’s appointments of wealthy, self-serving insiders to key government positions weren’t just careless choices—they were part of a deliberate strategy to enrich his already bloated allies. His administration will be little more than a massive giveaway to the richest individuals and corporations while the rest of the country bears the cost. His first administration was a practice round, and now Trump is part of the establishment he so desperately tries to dissociate from and villainize. He doesn’t care about you, me, or the Constitution.
It’s not just about his tax cuts that line the pockets of the wealthy while starving social programs or his relentless attack on workers’ rights. Trump’s influence has extended into every corner of American life, from deregulation to the media. Under his watch, critical protections for public health, safety, and the environment will be stripped away. His ongoing assault on environmental regulations will lead to the rapid degradation of natural resources, and the frequency of devastating natural disasters—like the catastrophic wildfires that plagued California—will only increase as a result.
Trump doesn’t care that his supporters emptied their wallets to see his inauguration. This spectacle left many of his followers feeling betrayed. While they braved the cold to cheer on their so-called champion, Trump couldn’t handle the chill himself, retreating to the warmth of the Capitol rotunda. His constant need to play the victim, to frame himself as persecuted by the media and political elites, emboldens his supporters to fall back on conspiracy theories and criticize the ‘deep state.’ This sense of entitlement was evident when he encouraged his supporters to pour their hard-earned money into a meme coin while secretly lining his pockets and setting the stage for a presidency that would serve only his interests. To add insult to injury, the blasphemous spectacle of the “Trump Bible”—a warped symbol of faith co-opted for political gain—was just another example of how Trump has no qualms about exploiting people’s beliefs for personal power and profit. From start to finish, his actions have never been about serving the people; they’ve always been about enriching himself and those who prop him up.
Food safety, which has gone undisputed for decades, has already begun to suffer. As Trump prepares to dismantle regulations meant to protect consumers, the quality of our food is at risk. When agencies tasked with overseeing food standards are gutted, ordinary Americans will pay the price, with lower-quality food entering the market and fewer protections safeguarding public health. Trump’s deregulation agenda puts our lives at risk to increase profits for agribusinesses and other powerful corporations.
The same story plays out in education. With Trump’s continued efforts to slash funding for public schools, we are witnessing the collapse of one of the most vital pillars of American democracy. Education is supposed to be the great equalizer. However, under Trump, it has become another casualty of his neoliberal, corporate-driven agenda. With funding cuts crippling schools and teachers, education in America is being sacrificed on the altar of tax cuts for the wealthy and corporate donors. This will only deepen the divide between the rich, who can afford private schooling, and the working class, whose children will have overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials, and a growing sense of hopelessness.
And let’s be clear: Trump doesn’t just tolerate this—it’s by design. His policies are designed to benefit the wealthy and the corporations that keep him in power, not ordinary Americans. His ties to tech giants and media moguls who have been given free rein under his administration further reveal how little he cares for the people he claims to represent. While everyday Americans struggle to make ends meet, Trump is rubbing elbows with billionaires, cutting deals that only serve to strengthen his financial empire.
With economic inequality reaching levels not seen since pre-revolutionary France, the future looks grim. The Gini index, which tracks income inequality, is climbing at an alarming rate, driven by policies that allow the rich to accumulate more wealth. At the same time, the rest of the country is left to fight over scraps. This is not just a crisis—it’s a recipe for social unrest. Yet, ever the opportunist, Trump has capitalized on this frustration, presenting himself as a populist figure. But don’t be fooled: Trump is not for the people. He is the embodiment of an oligarchic system that places wealth and power in the hands of a few while crushing the hopes and dreams of the majority.
The 2024 election made it painfully clear: the political establishment has failed to offer any meaningful alternative. The Democratic Party, so terrified of alienating corporate donors, has done little to challenge Trump’s authoritarian-like grip on power. His rise to dominance wasn’t inevitable; a lack of meaningful opposition facilitated it. Trump is allowed to bulldoze his way through legislation, issuing executive orders that harm the environment, healthcare, education and civil rights—without facing any significant pushback. The Democrats, for all their rhetoric on the danger of Trump, have mostly stood on the sidelines, leaving us vulnerable to a future where Trump continues to strip away the rights and protections that many Americans have fought decades to secure in the name of compromise and civility.
Democrats’ resistance to Donald Trump has failed, and now they face an even more dangerous second term. After years of focusing on his personal flaws and extreme policies, they failed to offer a coherent alternative to Trumpism, believing his defeat would restore the GOP to normalcy. But Trump is back, stronger than ever, with a more radical agenda, and his second term marks a deeper shift in American politics. Democrats missed their chance to oust him, and now they must confront a harsh reality: opposing Trump is no longer enough. They need to offer a real, substantive alternative to his authoritarian vision—something they have yet to do.
One of the more troubling possibilities under Trump’s leadership is the potential for unnecessary military conflict. Imagine a scenario where America sends its people to fight in a war because Trump decided to pursue reckless foreign policy—like annexing sovereign countries such as Canada, Mexico or Panama—to serve his interests or appease corporate backers. While it may sound far-fetched, Trump has consistently prioritized his financial and political gain over the country’s well-being. His approach to foreign policy often appears more focused on expanding his influence and consolidating power than on genuine national security. In such a scenario, the risk of military escalation, driven by self-interest rather than necessity, becomes all too real. This is the danger of a presidency that operates without restraint or accountability—policies that put American lives at risk for goals that benefit only the elite few.
As Trump accelerates the transfer of wealth and power into the hands of the few, the rest of us will bear the consequences. Food quality will decline, education will collapse, and environmental destruction will escalate. It does not matter if you wear a bright red hat showing your undying allegiance or a t-shirt that says ‘Resist’ on it; Trump does not care about you. This man has no vision for the country other than to line his pockets and those of his wealthy allies. He does not commit to any political ideology other than self-preservation. He has no real platform other than what will maximize his profit and power.
Trump may wear a “Make America Great Again” hat and play the populist card. However, his actions have done nothing but advance the interests of the richest Americans, the corporate elites, and himself. He is a president who will bulldoze this country with policies that hurt working families, lower-income communities, and the planet itself. His legacy will be one of division, deregulation and destruction. It’s up to the rest of us—not the political establishment or legacy media—to fight back.
We are at a crossroads. Things look grim, but we do not have to accept this. This oligarchy is not inevitable, and it is not unchangeable. The Gilded Age and robber barons have come back with a fervor, but it doesn’t have to be this way. We have the power to challenge it, demand better from our leaders, and build a future with meaningful investments to help all Americans. The question is whether we will rise to the occasion or whether we will allow Trump and his corporate cronies to finish the job.