Escalator Descends, Norms Follow As Donald J. Trump Completes Second Presidential Installment

American political norms reportedly entered a period of creative reinterpretation after Donald J. Trump — celebrity real estate developer, reality television personality, and tabloid perennial — completed the rare feat of serving as both the 45th and 47th president of the United States.

Born in Queens in 1946, Trump cultivated public notoriety long before entering politics. His real estate ventures, three marriages, highly publicized affairs, and steady presence in New York’s social scene secured him celebrity status, later amplified by the success of The Apprentice, which ran from 2004 to 2017 and transformed boardroom theatrics into prime-time entertainment.

His 2016 presidential campaign began with a now-historic escalator descent inside Trump Tower. The announcement speech included attacks on immigrants, minorities, women, and political opponents — a strategy that ultimately delivered him the Republican nomination and a narrow Electoral College victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton, despite losing the popular vote.

Trump’s first term featured a series of landmark developments: the appointment of three Supreme Court justices, hardline immigration policies, a nationalist foreign policy posture, two impeachments, and a pandemic response that critics described as chaotic. The Supreme Court appointments later contributed to the end of federal abortion protections, reshaping American jurisprudence.

The conclusion of that first term proved equally historic. After losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, Trump repeatedly claimed the election was fraudulent and pursued legal challenges in multiple states. On January 6, 2021, a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to disrupt certification of the Electoral College results. Trump continued to insist the election had been stolen.

Despite facing multiple state and federal criminal charges — including a felony conviction in New York — Trump secured the Republican nomination again in 2024 and defeated Vice President Kamala Harris after Biden withdrew from the race.

His second term has been marked by an aggressive use of executive authority, particularly in immigration enforcement, as well as sweeping tariff policies that have prompted economic concern among critics. Allegations of conflicts of interest and personal financial gain tied to the presidency have also generated scrutiny.

Supporters view his return as political resilience.

Critics view it as institutional stress testing.

The escalator, observers note, was only the beginning.

The descent, depending on perspective, is still being evaluated.