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To say the very least, Donald Trump has had a rough first year. His coalition is strained, with MAGA losing ground and traditional Conservative Republicans gaining more say. Nothing he does other than claim he is prepared to annex Greenland or a faux boast of being a peacemaker advances Populism. He sounds more like Richard Nixon every day, tough talk without purpose.
As to the similarity with traditional hard-shell Conservatism, Trump's Secretary of Agriculture urged austerity when she highlighted a three-dollar meal. Brooke Rollins suggested a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, and a corn tortilla would suffice as a main meal. She also did not specify whether children would be included. This seems right out of Nixon's playbook when his consumer affairs director, Virginia Knauer, in 1973, suggested "liver, kidney, brains and heart" would be a smashing meal if applied "with seasoning and imagination." Robert Taft's suggestion of "eat less" in 1946 came back to life.
But Knauer is Ralph Nader compared to Rollins' austerity suggestions. It reeks of Jimmy Carter's 1979 "malaise speech" with its exhortation of sacrifice. To Rollins' credit, she couched her language with skill and gentleness. Perhaps Kristi Noem would replace her cruel bombast with some of Rollins' bromides. But the meaning is clear: tax cuts for the Rich, slim meals for the rest. What seems bizarre is that Trump, who always endeavored to be Santa Claus, has reverted to becoming Scrooge. His great passion for tariffs made the salesman Trump turn into Mr. Bumble, who berated Oliver Twist for requesting more gruel. Indeed, Bumble's "the law is an ass" seems to reflect Trump's attitude. No doubt from Bumble to Scrooge, Charles Dickens is having a banner year.
And he leaves a poor example. Mar-a-Lago appears even more extravagant than Versailles. Add on the happy meal, and it leaves much to be desired on the culinary front. Marie Antoinette, who did not say "let them eat cake," would be horrified at Trump's penury. No doubt, Robert Kennedy Jr., with his new-age mentality, will do all he can to back up his boss. And what about those 30 or 50 dolls Trump brings up, that seems plucked from thin air.
Without a doubt, a change is required. Stephen Miller, Kennedy, the Vice President J.D. Vance, and the flamboyant Noem do little to protect Trump. If anything, they keep him in a bad mood and egg him on to political destruction. At least Rollins, message aside, presented a measured temperament devoid of bad manners or flippancy. At any rate, she is a far better role model than the aforementioned White House occupants. Rubio and Bessent also show purpose without displaying immature behavior.
Because of these lapses, Trump has allowed some Americans to wonder why they ever voted for him. The economy was rough under Biden, but not catastrophic. The debt was growing, and inflation was persistent. Trump's tariffs kept the inflation going without affecting America's chief rival, China, which saw its trade surpluses surge. Because of the rough-house "shock and awe" style, Trump was unable to get his message out.