Making America great again? - Focus - Al-Ahram Weekly
Al-Ahram Weekly reports on American responses to Trump administration policies after a two-week tour across the US from Washington DC to Sacramento in California
Few figures in modern American history have stirred as much passion, controversy, and conversation as Donald Trump.
From the moment he descended that golden escalator in 2015 to announce his first run for the White House, Trump has positioned himself not just as a political outsider, but as a disruptor-in-chief, vowing to drain the swamp, build the wall, and put 'America First'.
His policies since then, whether slashing corporate taxes, withdrawing from global agreements, enforcing hardline immigration stances, or reshaping the US federal judiciary, have left an indelible mark on the nation.
But what do Americans really think about those policies now? Are they seen as bold moves that have reasserted American strength, or reckless decisions that have deepened national divisions? The answers aren't as simple as party lines. Across red states and blue states, around kitchen tables and in online forums, Americans are still debating whether Trump's impact has been one of revival or regression.
This article dives deep into the heart of that debate, unpacking how different communities, political affiliations, and generations across the US view the policies of the 45th and 47th president. Because behind every executive order and campaign promise lies a nation still grappling with what it meant, and what it still means, to live in the Trump era.
For two weeks, starting on 19 April and ending on 3 May this year, the Distinguished International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) sponsored by the US Department of State hosted 21 participants from 21 countries across the world, including Egypt, for the Edward R. Murrow Programme for Journalists: Research and Investigation. The programme represented a paramount opportunity for a real engagement with US officials and opinion-makers in an unprecedented moment in US history under the second presidency of Trump.
Since its inception in 1940, more than 230,000 international leaders have taken part in the IVLP including over 500 alumni that have become heads of state or government, 12 Nobel Laureates, including late Egyptian president Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat, more than 1,600 cabinet ministers, more than 1,000 members of parliament, and numerous leaders in industry, science, and academia. IVLP participants are nominated by US embassies around the world.
From Virginia to Washington DC and then from St Louis in Missouri to Sacramento in California, the Americans Al-Ahram Weekly interviewed during the tour expressed their rejection, resentment, and disappointment regarding the policies Trump has been adopting, mainly on refugees, regional and global wars, and the US economy.
During this fortnight's programme, the Trump administration celebrated the president's 100 days in office, but one theme stood out among the Americans the Weekly spoke to — 'America won't be Great Again this way.'
Almost all those the Weekly spoke to preferred to remain anonymous for fear of the blundering Trump administration, which has aimed at people in their workplaces. They asked to be unnamed or to be referred to by their initials.
Starting in front of the White House in Washington DC, there were some protests against the administration to be seen, including a handful of people holding signs with photographs of Trump and Vice President J D Vance with the caption 'We the People Dissent'.
'I didn't vote for Trump, but I'm not seeing the change I hoped for with this new administration either. Prices are still high, the border's still a mess, and it feels like no one in Washington is really listening to us,' K M, a schoolteacher in Washington who participated in one of the protests, told the Weekly.
'I'm tired of empty promises from both sides. And these new tariffs? They're just making everything more expensive — groceries, tools, even stuff for my classroom. It's like we're paying the price for political games.'
'I work two jobs just to keep up, and it feels like every month I'm falling further behind. Gas, rent, groceries — everything's gone up, but my pay cheque hasn't. The politicians keep talking about 'strong economic numbers,' but I don't see it in my life. These policies might look good on paper, but they're not helping people like me,' J L, a receptionist from Virginia, told the Weekly during the protest.
ANTI-TRUMP: While the Weekly was speaking to J L, a 17-year-old girl shouted 'haters' policies won't bring peace. Trump's policies represent a real shock to Americans. His policies are disastrous, and Make America Great Again is fake.'
'I did vote for Trump for a second term in the hope that he would act on his promise to end wars and boost the local economy amid the global challenges. But his policies are catastrophic to the US itself, to its relations with the world, and to the globe as a whole. Trump is more than a fascist,' L K, a student at a Californian university, told the Weekly.
A 43-year-old American who preferred to be unnamed expressed his anger at the prices of commodities, especially since Trump had announced new tariffs. 'Prices are going up higher now. Yet, if these tariffs are applied in the way the president announced, we will experience a shortage of imported goods, mainly of what the US imports from countries with a high level of tariffs,' he said.
While the US Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) decreased 0.1 per cent on a seasonally adjusted basis in March, after rising 0.2 per cent in February, it still increased by 2.4 per cent before seasonal adjustment over the last 12 months, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics in April.
Inflation eased on both sides of the Atlantic in March, largely due to declining energy costs, supported by falling gas and oil prices in the first quarter of 2025. In the US, however, inflation remains a concern, according to a report by the French bank BNP Paribas published at the end of April.
Household inflation expectations have reached their highest level in over three decades, according to the University of Michigan, at 6.7 per cent a year in April (the highest since 1981), and 4.5 per cent for the long term (the highest since 1991). The report also highlighted that supply-side price pressures are at their highest since October 2023.
The US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged last week, defying renewed pressure from Trump to lower borrowing costs. It kept the federal funds rate at 4.25 per cent to 4.5 per cent, a range it has not adjusted since December. The decision comes amid growing concern over the economic fallout from Trump's trade policies. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged rising risks to both inflation and employment, although he noted that the actual impact of Trump's tariffs has yet to show up in hard data.
'We've judged that the risk to higher inflation and unemployment has risen,' Powell said, citing weakened business and consumer sentiment in the US. But he emphasised the Fed's cautious stance, saying that 'we can't say which way this will shake out.'
The Fed's dual mandate, to maintain stable inflation and a strong labour market, could come under stress if Trump's tariffs lead to simultaneous spikes in prices and joblessness. Powell admitted that such a scenario would force the Fed into difficult decisions, weighing which side of the economy is in greater need of intervention.
'This would be a complicated and challenging judgment we would have to make,' he said, pointing to the possibility of stagflation — a mix of weak growth and high inflation — feared by markets following his press conference.
Despite political pressure, the Fed gave no sign it plans to cut rates anytime soon. Trump has repeatedly lashed out at the Fed, most recently calling it 'too late and wrong' on social media for not cutting rates sooner.
VISITS: During a visit to George Mason University in Virginia, the Weekly had a chance to talk to Mark J Rozel, founding dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government and Ruth D. and John T. Hazel Chair in Public Policy.
'The decline in Trump's public approval ratings is driven substantially by his tariffs policies. Numerous opinion polls show strong disapproval of these policies, with most of the public believing that the president's tariff actions are harming the economy and driving up consumer prices,' Rozel said.
'As the more severe economic impacts of the tariffs occur over time, it is likely that public opinion will turn even more negative towards the president.'
'Trump was elected largely because the public believed he would be a stronger leader of the economy, and he promised to bring down inflation. But the tariffs will cause prices continually to escalate, undercutting the major foundation of his public support. The president right now is asking the public to be patient and endure some short-term pain. Americans tend not to have so much patience when they feel the direct impacts of higher prices,' Rozell said in answering a question about why so many people across the US had voted for Trump.
Sacramento in California was the next of the programme's stops. California has voted for Democratic candidates in every presidential election since 1992. This fairly pictures how the people of the state see the current Republican administration's policies, including the rising role billionaire businessman Elon Musk is playing in the government.
'Trump's policies don't surprise us. This is the mentality of such a man. The role he is playing in the Israeli war on Gaza is horrible. As American people, we totally refuse what is happening in Gaza, specifically starving people and targeting civilians,' a student at California State University in Sacramento who studies political science told the Weekly.
The student preferred for his name to be withheld but also criticised Musk's role in the Trump administration. 'We really don't know what exactly Musk's role in the government is. But, with Trump's mentality, this is expected. Trump came to office as a result of the marriage of power and money.'
'It's unsettling how much sway one billionaire like Elon Musk seems to have over national policy, from space contracts to energy decisions to shaping online discourse. We didn't elect him, yet his opinions ripple through Washington like he's part of the cabinet,' a university student told the Weekly.
His classmate, M J, agreed and added that 'speaking of tariffs, we believe that these will not benefit the American people, as Trump always says they will. They will drive prices higher, not for now, but over the medium and longer terms. We still have not felt the impact of such a policy locally, but it will be reflected next year unless this man put the brakes on his uninformed decisions,' he said.
Local media in the US has reported that within his first 100 days in office Trump issued 143 executive orders, more than any previous president during the same period, alongside 42 proclamations, 42 memorandums, the Laken Riley Act, a continuing appropriations act, and additional legislation submitted to Congress.
His prolific use of executive authority has received a mixed response from both Republicans and Democrats. Some of the orders have pushed the boundaries of presidential power and been met with swift legal opposition. The key areas of focus include immigration reform, deportation policy, the imposition of tariffs on foreign nations, reductions in federal spending and workforce, expansion of executive power, and the pursuit of a non-interventionist approach to foreign affairs.
'The New York Times/Siena polls [21-24 April] show that Americans are increasingly wary of Trump's policies, with 66 per cent of those surveyed saying his second term as president is 'chaotic' and 59 per cent saying it is 'scary'. Fifty-five per cent of voters oppose his tariffs, according to this poll. A majority, 54 per cent, support limits on presidential power,' journalism professor at California State University in Sacramento Molly Dugan told the Weekly.
'We must be careful not to place too much emphasis on polls. Most polls predicted a victory for Hillary Clinton in [the US presidential elections in] 2016 and a much tighter race in 2024, and there's some criticism that they overestimate support for Democratic candidates and causes generally. However, if you look at legitimate polls — those that perform due diligence to seek the most accurate results and are not partisan — most show the same general trajectory — that many Americans are nervous about tariffs,' Dugan said.
Gallup, one of the most reliable polling companies in the US, found that the majority of Americans have, at minimum, short-term concerns about tariffs and their effects on prices.
'I am concerned about public-spending cuts and resulting job losses. While I am not an expert on the nature and effects of public spending broadly, as a university professor and a recipient of federal grants (Fulbright and US State Department Professional Fellows Programme), these cuts could have a negative effect on many education programmes,' Dugan added.
The Weekly asked her to what extent these policies could impact both people in the US and in the wider world. Dugan said it was difficult to predict. In many cases, the US courts will determine if some of Trump's policies are implemented, she said.
'Congress makes appropriations and levies taxes. The Republican Congressional majority means that the budget, which passed in April, contained a lot of Trump's agenda, but we can certainly expect judicial review of many proposals. Historically, midterm elections favour the opposition party. We may see the Democrats regain the House or Senate in 2026, which could have a chilling effect on the extreme nature of the proposed cuts,' she added.
As Trump's second term unfolds, one thing is clear: the gap between policy and public sentiment has rarely been so wide. From coast to coast, Americans are speaking out — not just through polls and protests, but through lived experiences marked by economic anxiety, political fatigue, and growing unease about unchecked executive power. Promises of strength, security, and prosperity are colliding with the realities of inflation, isolation, and instability.
Whether it's the soaring cost of living, the shadowy influence of figures like Musk, or the fallout from sweeping tariffs and spending cuts, many Americans feel they are paying the price for a presidency driven more by force than foresight. And while Trump may still command a loyal base, the voices rising across classrooms, city squares, and campuses across the nation suggest a different truth: that a significant part of America sees his leadership not as a path forward but as a warning.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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