Washington's Political Shift: A Year of Change and Consequences

In 2025, Washington witnessed the rise and fall of Trump's radical movement. This wasn't just another political shift; it was a full-blown revolution.

A Different Second Term

Trump's second term was different from his first. He wasn't held back by cautious advisors anymore. Instead, he surrounded himself with people who shared his extreme views. These advisors didn't care about traditional conservative ideas. They wanted to completely change society. Their goal was to humiliate the educated elite and undo progress made in the last half of the 20th century. In short, they were at war with modernity.

Historical Parallels

This kind of uprising isn't new to the world. It's similar to other anti-intellectual movements in history, like the Maoists in China or the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. These movements share common traits: retaliation against the educated, scapegoating of minorities, and rewriting history. Trump's movement checked all these boxes. He targeted universities, law firms, media, and judges. He took control of national arts and sanitized official histories. He denigrated immigrants and declared America belonged to white Christians. He even replaced Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday celebration with his own.

The Turning Point

But here's the thing: America isn't some underdeveloped country. Our institutions are still standing. People still get to vote. Trump's radical revolution has crested. Year Zero in Washington brought the retribution Trump promised. But Year One looks different. It's not all about revenge anymore. It's about moving forward.

Short-Lived Victory

Trump's return to Washington brought exactly the kind of retribution he promised. He was winning in Congress, with the Supreme Court, and even with media conglomerates. But his victory was short-lived. Democrats made a mistake. They focused too much on cultural issues instead of the economy. This gave Trump an opening. He promised to focus on working people's concerns. But once he won, he made the same mistake. He embarked on an anti-intellectual purge instead of reforming anything.

Decline in Popularity

Trump's approval rating dropped significantly during his first year in office. Voters showed their disapproval in the off-year elections. Republicans lost governors' races and down-ballot races. Trump's imperialist foreign policy and public behavior didn't help his popularity. If Republicans get hammered in the midterm elections, Trump's radical program will have failed. He'll be pushed to the periphery.

A Pragmatic Nation

For the past decade, America has been caught up in a cycle of dueling cultural agendas. But here's what we know: Americans are exhausted from it. We're a more pragmatic country than our parties or media seem to believe. We don't want a sequel to our radical and violent remaking of society 250 years ago.