How We Got to Donald J. Trump, The First Twitter President — and What to Do Next

Why Trump Won

His message on the economy and security, as bad as it was, was simple, easy to remember and share; and more importantly, easier to remember on voting day.

Clinton’s platform was noble, but nuanced and complicated.

Simple messaging won if you were a voter who prioritized your ability to put food on the table and your own family’s security, disregarding everything else which the media and the pundits thought was important.

Economy and security stole the show.

Trump is the first Twitter President — it was not just what he was tweeting, but he was thinking and talking in “tweets” throughout the entire campaign. Few simple phrases, repeated again and again.

On Twitter, in speeches, repeated and discussed by the media — “look how amazingly bad/repulsive ideas they are”.

Yes, they were. But Clinton’s messaging on the economy and security wasn’t simple enough and “digestable” by the suburban voter, who drove it home for Trump.

The better candidate didn’t win, but the better marketer did.

What To Expect

Trump ran a marketing campaign which was successful. He has no positions he is fervently passionate about. Yes, he led people to believe he was — but that is because he understands marketing better than most.

Today, as President-elect, no one actually knows or can predict what Trump will or won’t do.

But let’s go by “basic human analysis” again and try and understand Trump’s motivations. These might provide clues on what to expect from him over the next four years.

Trump is his own favorite person, and I think he wants to set a legacy in motion: a Trump dynasty, which carries his brand far and beyond his own time on the planet. This might include his daughter Ivanka or son Eric as future presidential candidates. The policies he chooses to actually pursue will be driven by that. They will be populistic. He wants to be loved and be the best president ever. He will not take bold, unpopular measures.

What are the populistic policies he might actually pursue, then?

Policies which give people more money in their pockets. The movement of goods and people into the US will get tougher under his administration, given both the US House and Congress are Republican controlled. It will get tougher to trade with, visit, or temporarily work in the US for non-citizens.

The upcoming conservative appointments to the Supreme Court will have a lasting social impact, well beyond the Trump years.

There won’t be a Trump wall at the Mexican border, NAFTA won’t be broken, there won’t be any drastic steps taken — that was simply bluster for Trump to get elected.

How To Heal

Trump is going to enjoy and relish his time as President. He has been elected, fair and square. His success is tied to the success of the United States, by extension, to the well-being and prosperity of the free world.

Let us find it within ourselves to move on, to make the world a better place, in our own little ways, and to get back to being productive and making things people want.

As President Obama just said: “We are now all rooting for success”.