Molly Ball

Wait, so who are you?

Wait, so who are you?

You know, it was a defiant speech, an unapologetic speech, a long speech, and a speech that I think gave us a real window into how Trump is seeing his very disruptive first several weeks in the White House in his second term.

You know, it was a defiant speech, an unapologetic speech, a long speech, and a speech that I think gave us a real window into how Trump is seeing his very disruptive first several weeks in the White House in his second term.

You know, it was a defiant speech, an unapologetic speech, a long speech, and a speech that I think gave us a real window into how Trump is seeing his very disruptive first several weeks in the White House in his second term.

It told me that he is determined to see through these incredibly disruptive changes that he's unleashed, no matter what the cost to his party, to his own political prospects. And he is convinced that we are going to come out better on the other side once we get through it.

It told me that he is determined to see through these incredibly disruptive changes that he's unleashed, no matter what the cost to his party, to his own political prospects. And he is convinced that we are going to come out better on the other side once we get through it.

It told me that he is determined to see through these incredibly disruptive changes that he's unleashed, no matter what the cost to his party, to his own political prospects. And he is convinced that we are going to come out better on the other side once we get through it.

The goal was really to explain why all of this is good and necessary, right? Why he is winning. Why all of the things he's done add up to a better future, a new golden age, as he likes to put it. Why all of this disruption has a purpose and is going to lead to better things and is already putting victories on the board.

The goal was really to explain why all of this is good and necessary, right? Why he is winning. Why all of the things he's done add up to a better future, a new golden age, as he likes to put it. Why all of this disruption has a purpose and is going to lead to better things and is already putting victories on the board.

The goal was really to explain why all of this is good and necessary, right? Why he is winning. Why all of the things he's done add up to a better future, a new golden age, as he likes to put it. Why all of this disruption has a purpose and is going to lead to better things and is already putting victories on the board.

Yes and no. I mean, certainly presidents are always trying to justify their actions. I would say that there's a few things that are different about Trump than a quote-unquote normal president at this stage, right? I think a normal president has much more of a bipartisan honeymoon and spends much more time trying to extend olive branches to the other side to explain why the things that he is doing—

Yes and no. I mean, certainly presidents are always trying to justify their actions. I would say that there's a few things that are different about Trump than a quote-unquote normal president at this stage, right? I think a normal president has much more of a bipartisan honeymoon and spends much more time trying to extend olive branches to the other side to explain why the things that he is doing—

Yes and no. I mean, certainly presidents are always trying to justify their actions. I would say that there's a few things that are different about Trump than a quote-unquote normal president at this stage, right? I think a normal president has much more of a bipartisan honeymoon and spends much more time trying to extend olive branches to the other side to explain why the things that he is doing—

should be broadly acceptable to Republicans and Democrats. Trump actually began the speech by saying, Democrats hate me and they're not going to clap for anything I do. So it was almost like a, first of all, screw you. And so that's one difference. I think also just the level of disruption and that being a feature, not a bug, right? Trump is very proud of how disruptive his agenda is.

should be broadly acceptable to Republicans and Democrats. Trump actually began the speech by saying, Democrats hate me and they're not going to clap for anything I do. So it was almost like a, first of all, screw you. And so that's one difference. I think also just the level of disruption and that being a feature, not a bug, right? Trump is very proud of how disruptive his agenda is.

should be broadly acceptable to Republicans and Democrats. Trump actually began the speech by saying, Democrats hate me and they're not going to clap for anything I do. So it was almost like a, first of all, screw you. And so that's one difference. I think also just the level of disruption and that being a feature, not a bug, right? Trump is very proud of how disruptive his agenda is.

And, you know, as he put it, there's going to be an adjustment period to some of the ways he's trying to reorder the economy with his tariffs, that there will be some short-term pain. Sort of a refreshing honesty there, honestly, because presidents don't usually like to admit that.

And, you know, as he put it, there's going to be an adjustment period to some of the ways he's trying to reorder the economy with his tariffs, that there will be some short-term pain. Sort of a refreshing honesty there, honestly, because presidents don't usually like to admit that.

And, you know, as he put it, there's going to be an adjustment period to some of the ways he's trying to reorder the economy with his tariffs, that there will be some short-term pain. Sort of a refreshing honesty there, honestly, because presidents don't usually like to admit that.