But not all of Trump’s changes are necessarily built to last. President Trump is already preparing for this year’s midterm elections, which could result in one or both chambers of Congress switching party control.
“If I don’t win the midterm elections, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” Trump told a gathering of Republican lawmakers earlier this month.
President Trump has teased the possibility of running for an unconstitutional third term, although the law limits him to two terms. This opens the possibility for the president to change political parties as early as 2028.
“Assuming a Democratic administration follows the Trump administration, many of President Trump’s policies and changes will be reversed as quickly as possible,” Updegrove said.
“A lot of things can be undone, from executive orders to the gold leaf stencils on the walls of the White House.”
But there are also downstream effects, which could become evident long after Trump takes office, historians warned. The speed of change has made them somewhat invisible.
“When you think about the muzzle velocity issue, there are some things we are not aware of,” Updegrove said.
He cited the loss of institutional knowledge following President Trump’s massive layoffs as an example of a decision that has as-yet-unseen consequences.
“Even though we know what we’ve been through, we haven’t felt the full impact, and we won’t for many years to come.”
Still, Updegrove speculates that a lack of speed in the key area of economic growth could be Trumpism’s downfall.
Consumer prices have repeatedly topped polls on voters’ concerns in the 2024 election, and President Trump has promised “from day one” to “end inflation and make America affordable again.”
But Updegrove says average Americans aren’t seeing the promised turnaround reflected in their wallets.
“Even if President Trump is able to successfully turn the tide, it remains to be seen whether it will ultimately be driven by fear of democratic erosion rather than dissatisfaction with the pace of economic change,” he said.
“After all, the price of hamburger meat might restore democracy.”
