Since the US presidential election that shook up the nation with Donald Trump’s sweeping victory across all demographics and races, experts have addressed a range of issues that influenced the election results, including immigration, inflation, foreign policy, misinformation, and cultural issues. An overlooked but a most fascinating and puzzling aspect of American politics was the willingness of voters to look beyond Trump’s legal and ethical controversies.
Why were these voters less swayed by allegations or on-going investigations, choosing instead to prioritize issues they felt were more directly relevant to their lives, communities, and values? American democracy, like other democratic systems around the world, is indeed a transactional political system. This social contract emphasizes the give and-take nature of political processes, where various constituencies negotiate, compromise, and exchange support to achieve their goals. Trump has historically appealed to a diverse coalition that includes working-class voters, rural communities, and business interests, often directly addressing their specific needs and concerns.
In a transactional sense, he built loyalty by promising policies that aligned with these groups’ interests, such as deregulation for businesses, tax cuts, or immigration policies that resonated with particular demographics. This transactional relationship has been a powerful tool for building a committed voter base by focusing on “what’s in it for them.” Many Trump supporters backed his policies, like tax cuts, deregulation, and vehemently strong stance on immigration, intuitively seeing these as beneficial for them, the economy, and national security. They prioritized tangible outcomes, such as job creation and reduced taxes, over his legal and personal controversies. Scepticism of the “mainstream media” and “deep state” also fuelled support, with many seeing myriad legal challenges against him as politically driven. His simple, direct, blunt communication style resonated with voters who felt disconnected from typical politicians.
His firm stance on immigration, religious freedom, and woke issues appealed to those who believed their traditional values were under threat. For them, Trump’s policies offered a way to preserve their way of life. For many supporters, the allure of a second Trump presidency lay in his promise to put ‘America First,’ a vision they believed would prioritize economic stability and traditional values. For millions of supporters beyond his base, the tangible promises of stability, traditional values, and a voice for the “forgotten” outweighed the concerns about his legal or ethical issues. By overlooking the controversies surrounding him, voters focused on what they saw as benefits for themselves and the country.
Trump’s communication style has been praised and criticized for breaking political norms, yet it has undeniably chimed with a broad audience. His plain, direct language has been a key element that sets him apart from traditional politicians who often use polished and complex rhetoric. Trump spoke in simple, everyday words, which made him relatable to people who feel alienated by conventional political language. Trump’s emphasis on emotional appeal was another defining trait. Rather than presenting detailed policies, he often spoke in sweeping, emotion-driven statements that tapped into his audience’s desires and frustrations. His slogan “Make America Great Again” is intentionally vague, allowing people to project their ideas of greatness.
By focusing on shared feelings over specific plans, he connected with listeners on a personal level, reinforcing the importance of emotional resonance in political discourse. Repetition also played a significant role in Trump’s messaging. Phrases like “Are you better off today than 4 years ago”; illegal immigrants, “They are taking your jobs”; “Never surrender”; “Witch Hunt,” etc. served as branding tools, much like advertising slogans, ensuring that his core ideas were memorable. This repetition strengthened his message and kept it at the forefront of public consciousness, making it easy for supporters and critics alike, including late-night comedians, to recall and spread his ideas.
Trump’s nonverbal communication further amplified his style. His gestures, expressions, and tone conveyed self-confidence, making him appear dynamic and engaging on stage. Trump’s body language reinforced his words with a sense of authenticity. His supporters often viewed this as genuine and unfiltered, a stark contrast to the carefully curated personas of traditional politicians. In an era where political messages are usually scripted, Trump’s unfiltered approach ~ driving a garbage truck, flipping hamburgers at McDonald’s, locker room talk about the celebrated golfer Arnold Palmer ~ gave him an air of unabashed authenticity, albeit a controversial one.
This unpredictability kept audiences engaged, drawing attention to his speeches and making them media spectacles. Trump’s style, rooted in simplicity, emotion, and spontaneity, demonstrated that effective political communication doesn’t always require refined language or detailed policy discussion. His success underscores the changing landscape of political rhetoric, highlighting the appeal of plain language and emotional engagement in an age dominated by social media and sound bites. Trump’s defiance of court trials, the two assassination attempts, and his unwavering claim of being wronged contributed to his transformation into a political force by intensifying his base’s loyalty and positioning him as a resilient, anti-establishment figure.
The assassination attempts, rather than deterring his supporters, were interpreted by some as further evidence of a hostile establishment attempting to silence him. His persistent narrative of a wronged man painted him as a symbol of resistance and fuelled his rise as a political giant. In the end, the resilience of Trump’s support underscored the deeply personal and transactional nature of American democracy. For many voters, loyalty to a candidate or party isn’t necessarily tied to a spotless ethical record; it’s about trust that their needs and beliefs will be prioritized.
This phenomenon speaks to a broader theme in US politics ~ one where voters weigh practical impacts over personal scandals, forging a connection that transcends the usual norms of political accountability. Whether one agrees or disagrees with this stance, it highlights a fundamental truth about democracy: it is much more about shared interests rather than about ideals, ethics, or morality, which might explain why Trump triumphed for the second time.
(The writer is the author of Indian In A New Key: Nehru To Modi. He hosts the podcast “America Unbound,” available free on Spotify)