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It’s clear that Donald J. Trump will be a remarkable president in his second term. His courage and perseverance over the past nine years have already made him a historic figure, even before he made the biggest comeback in American political history on November 5th.
After four years in office, President-elect Trump has had time to think carefully about how much he wants to change the system. He could also consider what steps could be taken to remove authoritarian elements from the American system.
I thought his second term would begin on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025. That is the day he will be sworn in as legal president, a Latin word meaning one prescribed by law.
President Trump welcomes world leaders in presidential fashion at Notre Dame Cathedral reopening ceremony
But little did we know that the fame, energy, and drive of President Trump and the collapse of President Joe Biden would lead to an entirely new model. In reality, President Trump became the de facto president. De facto is a Latin word that means “actually, as a fact.”
When French President Emmanuel Macron hosted President Trump as a state guest during his recent visit to Paris, it was clear that control of American power had decisively shifted to President Trump.
When President Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Macron to discuss Ukraine, it was clear where the center of world power lies.
Progressive Democrats furious at Biden for spotlighting Trump in final weeks of administration
The photo of President Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was in sharp contrast to Meloni’s recent meeting with President Biden, where he had to go looking for him and bring him back for a group photo. Moreover, Meloni is a conservative populist. She is solving illegal immigration and creating economic growth in a similar way to President Trump.
In fact, President Trump is the de facto president. He has been the de facto leader of the United States since before he took office. He has negotiated with leaders and signaled major changes in domestic and foreign policy. The scale and energy of his activities have effectively removed President Biden and Vice President Harris from the public stage.
French President Emmanuel Macron (center), US President-elect Donald Trump (left), and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy pose before a meeting at the Elysée presidential palace in Paris on December 7, 2024. (Sarah Maysonier)
Part of his de facto presidency stems from his being an effective leader compared to the current incompetent leaders in the White House.
David Marcus: Trump’s victory at Notre Dame heralds the resurgence of America and the West
Politico captured this surprising change in a Dec. 9 article headlined, “Biden slips out of sight before Trump returns to Washington.”
According to the outlet:
“Joe Biden has 42 days left as President of the United States, but within the Democratic Party, on Capitol Hill, and even within his own administration, it feels like he left the Oval Office weeks ago.
“Biden has virtually disappeared from the radar following the Democratic Party’s devastating election defeat…’ ,” said a former White House official.
“‘There is no leadership from the White House,’ one Democrat close to a senior member said bluntly. ‘It’s a complete vacuum.’
Americans agree that the torch has been passed from liberal Democrats to President-elect Trump. According to a recent Rasmussen Report poll, 55% of likely American voters believe that this election is an obligation for President Trump to enact the policies he campaigned on. About a third (32%) are opposed, while the remaining 13% are unsure whether the election was mandatory.
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President Trump could continue to advance if he maintains a 55% to 33% lead. If his energy and strategy work, perhaps 13% of people will join his agenda, giving him a 2-to-1 advantage.
The importance of this change cannot be overstated.
Traditionally, the presidential inauguration took place on March 4th.
President-elect Abraham Lincoln had to wait four months before taking office. Meanwhile, lame duck President James Buchanan gave slave-owning secessionists great latitude to dismantle the Union. The state of the country when Lincoln was finally sworn in was far worse than when he was elected.
Similarly, President-elect Franklin Delano Roosevelt refused to work with President Herbert Hoover between his election and his inauguration on March 4, 1933. The American economy weakened significantly during the waiting period.
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These two experiences convinced the nation to adopt the 20th Amendment and move the presidential inauguration to January 20, avoiding six weeks of chaos and potential problems.
Now, in the real-time age of the Internet, endless daily challenges, and an absentee White House, we need a de facto President Trump more than a de jure absentee president.
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