By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign employed a “bait and switch” tactic, promising to lower grocery prices and deport millions of undocumented immigrants—pledges subsequently abandoned or acknowledged as unfeasible. His inability to deliver on these promises is overshadowed by a new focus on territorial expansion, diverting attention from broken campaign pledges. This shift in focus aims to complete the deception of voters before he even assumes office, leaving them with four years to contemplate the consequences. The author alleges that Trump’s actions constitute a deliberate swindle of the American public.
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Donald Trump’s promises, so readily made during his campaign, seem to have already faded into the background for many. The pledges that resonated with millions – lowering grocery prices, for example – are now either conveniently forgotten or explained away. The initial belief in these pronouncements, often described as “future faking,” seems to have evaporated as quickly as it formed. The reality is that many of his campaign promises were inherently unrealistic, contradicting each other across different audiences, and demonstrating a blatant disregard for the truth.
This isn’t a new phenomenon; his first term was littered with tens of thousands of demonstrably false statements. The sheer volume of lies makes it difficult, even for those who might want to, to track which promises were made, and which were broken. Supporters, however, seem adept at shifting goalposts, justifying broken promises through a variety of creative means – blaming others, reinterpreting the intentions, or simply ignoring the issue altogether. The remarkable ability of his base to simultaneously believe in outlandish promises and then excuse their failure is indicative of a larger issue.
The focus on Trump’s personality over policy is a key element in understanding this phenomenon. Many voters supported him not because of a particular policy platform but because they liked him. This personal connection seems to outweigh concerns about broken promises, economic consequences, or even the potential for harm to specific groups within society. Economic anxieties, stoked by inflation and other factors, certainly played a role, as did culturally charged issues like misogyny and identity politics.
The ongoing culture wars occupy a significant portion of the electorate’s attention, diverting focus away from broken promises. The inflammatory rhetoric surrounding issues like gender identity, race, and other divisive topics serves to keep the supporters engaged and distracted from evaluating the actual performance or the lack thereof. This allows for a continued focus on Trump’s perceived battles against those deemed as antagonists, regardless of the real-world impact of his policies, or rather, lack of them. The easily distracted, the poorly educated, are susceptible to this strategy, hence Trump’s appeal to certain demographics.
Some argue that the entire Trump presidency can be viewed as one giant, ongoing broken promise. The promise of a renewed, more prosperous America seems to have been replaced by a reality that includes increased economic anxieties, heightened political polarization, and deepened societal divisions. The idea of a straightforward, consistent policy is replaced by an ever-shifting narrative driven by whatever immediate impulse or perceived political advantage takes precedence.
The aftermath of the election is a case in point. The promises of swift action on issues like Ukraine, immigration, or economic policy seem to have been replaced by more ambiguous statements and explanations. The sheer audacity of the contradictory stances and the willingness to abandon prior commitments demonstrate a certain disregard for consistency and accountability.
The response from Trump’s base is equally striking. The lack of outrage regarding unmet promises is as telling as the initial enthusiasm for them. It suggests a deeper allegiance to Trump himself, which has overshadowed any disappointment regarding unfulfilled promises. The ability to excuse his actions, to invent new justifications, and to ignore uncomfortable realities reflects a pattern of behaviour rooted in loyalty to an individual, rather than to specific policies or outcomes.
Ultimately, whether Trump’s base truly cares about broken promises is debatable. They are more likely focused on the “culture wars”, on the perception of Trump as a fighter against their perceived enemies, and on maintaining a sense of belonging within the Trump movement. The promises made, and broken, become secondary to maintaining this sense of community and identity. The implications of this, however, are significant, raising questions about the nature of political engagement, the role of information in democratic societies, and the very definition of political accountability.