Trump won everything: the Electoral College, the popular vote, the Senate and, by the looks of it, the House too. How did he manage the greatest political comeback in American history? Simple, he kept going.
Since he was first elected President eight years ago, he’s been shot, arrested, convicted, sued, impeached, and then impeached again. He incited a riot in the Capitol that many considered domestic terrorism. There was the COVID pandemic, which he not only presided over but also personally contracted (as an obese man in his late seventies). Most crushingly, despite never admitting it, he was roundly defeated by Biden in the 2020 Presidential election. Finally, he was then rejected by voters in the 2022 midterms.
He should have given up. Anyone else would have. No other politician would have kept going. Even Churchill might have thought twice. Trump is a 78-year-old billionaire ex-President. It would be hard to argue he needs more fame or fortune.
And yet, he didn’t give up. If anything, his hunger seems to have deepened after each setback.
Is this partly explained by his ego’s enormous appetite for attention? Quite possibly. Does his sociopathic lack of self-awareness help? Without a doubt. And yet, I’ve got to be honest, I find it a little inspiring. Even liberals must admire his resolve.
America is the hardest-working country in the world. The Protestant work ethic of its Puritan founders is alive and well. I’ve been repeatedly amazed by American colleagues who, despite having a holiday allowance I find laughably small as a European, often talk with pride about not using all of their annual leave days. Graft is respected in America. And Trump, despite his many flaws, is a grafter.
This is a big, overlooked reason he was reelected. What foreigners see as brash, many Americans see as vitality. Despite his many flaws, Trump’s ability to grit his teeth embodies the American spirit.
He’s the political equivalent of a Nike advert.
Fail forwards.
My dream is the end of their dream.
Be tough.
Winning takes care of everything.
Just Do It.
These are Nike adverts but, you could image all of them coming out of Trump’s mouth.
Despite their liberal leanings, Nike has made billions selling this same version of the American Dream to gym-goers around the world. The message: Keep going, no matter what and, when you eventually win, nothing else will matter. That’s the narrative that sells nearly a billion Nike trainers each year, and it’s the same story that finally sold MAGA to a majority of American voters.
In the United States of America, hard work Trumps everything else.
Archie Heaton is a marketer and commentator.
