Key Takeaways
- Donald Trump has been a ubiquitous presence in the daily lives of citizens, thanks to his sweeping assertions of power and the explosive reach of social media.
- His impact on people’s lives has been more personal and concrete, with some benefiting from his policies, while others have been negatively affected.
- Despite his constant presence, Trump’s job-approval rating has not increased, with 58% of those surveyed saying his first year had been a failure.
- The Republican-controlled Congress has rarely challenged Trump, allowing him to pursue his initiatives through executive action.
- Democrats lack a clear leader and a consistent ideology, but may reclaim a platform for power in the midterm elections in November.
Introduction to Trump’s Presence
In the year since his second inauguration, Donald Trump has been impossible to miss. Thanks to his sweeping assertions of power, his formidable persona, and the explosive reach of social media, the 47th president has been a more ubiquitous presence in the daily lives of citizens than any of his predecessors. This record extends beyond presidents and politicians, with no actor or sports star or military general having so continuously commanded the nation’s spotlight. Trump’s constant presence has prompted some Americans to follow him with glee, while others have tried to limit their consumption of the news.
Trump’s Impact on People’s Lives
For millions of people, Trump’s impact on their lives has been more personal and concrete. Nearly 300,000 federal jobs were cut last year, according to the Office of Personnel Management, the biggest drop in the federal civilian workforce since the end of World War II. The Department of Homeland Security asserted that more than 2.5 million foreign-born people had left the United States in 2025, though this number is disputed by others. On the other hand, fortunes have been made, including by some in Trump’s own family, as he has embraced the possibilities of cryptocurrency and AI. People with the highest incomes have been the biggest beneficiaries of the tax breaks in the "Big Beautiful Bill," and investors have broadly made gains from record-setting stock markets.
Trump’s Use of Social Media
Trump has carried his bare-it-all instincts from reality TV and "The Apprentice" to his new role in politics. Social media has become a constant site for the president to reveal even the most serious of pronouncements, as well as a stream of invective against Democrats, wayward Republicans, reporters, and others. Even foreign leaders track the president’s international intentions not through diplomatic channels but through the same Truth Social posts as everyone else. On a random day, Trump may deliver a speech, answer questions from reporters, and post on social media, making him a constant presence in the public consciousness.
The Lack of Competing Voices
One reason Trump has loomed so large in the public consciousness is that he hasn’t had much competition. Except for the tax bill he signed in July, the president has pursued his most ambitious and controversial initiatives not through legislation but through executive action. The Republican-controlled Congress has rarely challenged him, allowing him to usurp Capitol Hill’s Constitutional powers on spending money and waging war. The president and his administration have been challenged by a flood of lawsuits, but the legal process is slow, and his efforts to end birthright citizenship, impose tariffs, and more are only now making their way to the Supreme Court for a decision on their legality.
The Democratic Response
Democrats, on the other hand, have united behind a commitment to protecting democracy and addressing affordability in health care, food, and housing. However, they lack a clear leader and a consistent ideology. They may reclaim a platform for power in the midterm elections in November, but the midterms aren’t until November, and the officials elected then won’t take office until January 2027. Until then, Trump will continue to be the dominant figure in American politics, with opportunities to be center stage, including the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the FIFA World Cup competition.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
The coincidences of the calendar have created new opportunities for Trump to be center stage. He will be president for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July and during the FIFA World Cup competition across the United States, Mexico, and Canada in June and July. The summer Olympics are set for Los Angeles in 2028, the last year of his term. Trump takes credit for having drawn both sporting events to the United States during his first term, and he will likely use these events to further his own agenda and increase his presence in the public eye. As he said, "We got the Olympics and then we got … the World Cup. I got them both and I said, ‘Man, I won’t be president." But he is still president, and he will continue to be a dominant figure in American politics for the foreseeable future.
