Donald Trump is what happens when you give a property developer, reality television bully and serial self-promoter access to the nuclear codes. A man who treats facts as optional, insults as political strategy and the truth as something that should be grateful for his attention.
He has spent decades accumulating lawsuits, bankruptcies, scandals and enemies, yet somehow convinced millions of Americans that he is the answer to everything wrong with their country. Having returned to the White House, he is now busy attacking institutions, alienating allies, enriching his family and treating the world’s most powerful office as an extension of the Trump brand.
Is a prick because…
- Trying to overturn the 2020 election: After losing to Joe Biden, Trump repeatedly claimed the election had been stolen despite being unable to produce evidence of widespread fraud. He pressured officials, promoted bogus legal schemes and tried to interfere with the certification of the result.
- January 6: Trump summoned supporters to Washington, repeated his election claims and told them to march on the Capitol. As rioters attacked police officers and broke into Congress, he delayed taking meaningful action to stop the violence.
- Pardoning the Capitol rioters: On his first day back in office in January 2025, Trump pardoned almost everyone convicted over the January 6 attack, including people convicted of serious assaults on police officers. He also commuted the sentences of several prominent extremist group leaders.
- The Stormy Daniels scandal: In May 2024, Trump became the first former US president convicted of felony crimes. A New York jury found him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records connected to a payment made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. He received an unconditional discharge, leaving the conviction on his record.
- E. Jean Carroll: A civil jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and defaming her, awarding her $5 million. A second jury awarded her another $83.3 million for further defamatory statements. Trump has denied the allegations.
- The business fraud case: A New York judge found Trump and his company had fraudulently inflated property values and his net worth on financial statements. An appeals court later overturned the enormous financial penalty as excessive, while leaving the underlying finding of fraud intact.
- The Access Hollywood tape: In 2016, a recording emerged of Trump bragging about grabbing women sexually without their consent. He dismissed the comments as locker-room talk and went on to win the presidency.
- Mocking a disabled reporter: During his 2015 campaign, Trump appeared to imitate the physical movements of journalist Serge Kovaleski, who has a congenital joint condition. Trump denied mocking his disability, despite the widely criticised footage.
- The Central Park Five: In 1989, five Black and Latino teenagers were wrongly convicted of the rape and assault of a jogger in New York. Trump spent $85,000 on newspaper advertisements demanding the death penalty. The men were later exonerated after DNA evidence and a confession from the actual attacker. Trump has never apologised.
- His relationship with Putin: Trump has repeatedly praised Vladimir Putin, expressed admiration for his leadership and appeared reluctant to hold him responsible for Russia’s aggression. In February 2025, he opened direct negotiations with Putin while Ukraine was left out of the initial discussions.
- His treatment of Zelensky: During a televised White House meeting in February 2025, Trump and JD Vance berated Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, accused him of being ungrateful and threatened to withdraw American support. Trump later called him a dictator while showing considerably more diplomatic warmth towards Putin.
- Destroying America’s relationships with its allies: Trump has repeatedly threatened NATO partners, imposed tariffs on friendly countries and questioned whether the United States should honour its security commitments. His treatment of Canada, Denmark, the EU and other long-standing allies has damaged trust in America’s reliability and encouraged countries to look for alternatives to Washington.
- The Covid disaster: Trump repeatedly downplayed the coronavirus, promoted unproven treatments, publicly mused about injecting disinfectant and undermined public health guidance. He also turned mask-wearing into a political loyalty test during a public health emergency.
- Appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary: Trump put a longtime vaccine sceptic in charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, giving Kennedy enormous influence over American public health policy despite his record of promoting misleading claims about vaccines.
- The revenge presidency: Trump’s second administration has pursued investigations and actions against political opponents and critics. His repeated attacks on independent institutions, government watchdogs and the press have raised serious concerns about the use of presidential power.
- His scumbag family: Trump’s sons Donald Jr and Eric have continued expanding the family business while their father occupies the White House. His family has become deeply involved in cryptocurrency ventures, overseas property deals and commercial arrangements that raise obvious conflicts of interest.
- The crypto cash machine: Trump and his family have made enormous sums from cryptocurrency ventures, including World Liberty Financial and the $TRUMP meme coin. His 2025 financial disclosure reported more than $1.4 billion in income from crypto-related ventures, while his administration has pursued policies favourable to the industry.
- Jared Kushner’s Saudi billions: Trump’s son-in-law received a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund for his private equity firm after leaving the White House. The fund’s investment committee reportedly raised concerns about Kushner’s experience and management fees before the deal was approved.
- The revolving door of chaos: His administrations have been marked by high-profile dismissals, public feuds, resignations and constant personnel changes. Loyalty to Trump has often appeared more important than competence or experience.
Is not a prick because…
- Taking on the radical left: Trump has challenged progressive policies on issues including gender, education, diversity programmes and campus politics. Supporters see his willingness to confront what they regard as the excesses of the radical left as a welcome counterweight to an increasingly ideological political establishment.
- Addressing immigrant crime: Trump has made crimes committed by undocumented immigrants a priority for immigration enforcement, including targeting people with criminal convictions. Supporters argue that governments should put public safety first and stop overlooking crimes committed by people who have no legal right to remain in the country.
- Making tough decisions: Trump is willing to make unpopular decisions, challenge established interests and put American priorities ahead of international approval. His America First approach, including reviewing foreign aid and taking a harder line towards hostile regimes and organisations accused of links to terrorism, appeals to voters tired of what they see as endless overseas spending.
- The Abraham Accords: His first administration helped broker agreements normalising relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
- Criminal justice reform: He signed the First Step Act in 2018, introducing changes to federal sentencing and prison policies. The legislation received support from both Republicans and Democrats.
- A genuine electoral following: Millions of Americans support him, particularly voters who feel ignored by traditional political institutions. His ability to connect with that frustration is a major political talent, whether his critics like it or not.
Donald Trump has spent his life selling an image of wealth, success and invincibility. His presidency has turned that sales pitch into a governing philosophy, with America’s institutions, international relationships and public resources increasingly treated as extensions of his personal brand. He has made traditional allies question whether America can be trusted, while his own family continues to profit from its proximity to power. For all his talk of putting America first, the Trump family certainly seems to have found a way to put the Trump family first.
