US
How does Donald Trump keep his support so strong?
Donald Trump has remade the American political landscape.
His is a remarkable if often controversial story from a real estate mogul to the White House.
But through it all, he has retained a strong base of support and transformed the Republican party into a vehicle for his brand of ‘America first’ politics.
What’s the secret to his success?
Personality
Trump is larger than life, and politics.
Sky News presenter Mark Austin, who has spent years following Trump, says he tries to “paint a picture” of a Washington elite that’s abandoned ordinary voters, and in contrast, he, the billionaire, is in touch with ordinary people and knows how to solve their problems.
“Whether it’s war, crime, immigration – he promises to sort it out quicker than anyone else,” Austin adds.
A self-identifying “strongman” his background outside of politics helps him sell himself as an outsider, unlike the likes of Joe Biden or the Clintons.
Economic insecurity
The number one issue in November’s election is the economy.
Inflation under the Biden administration was worse than under Trump, something he’s keen to point out regardless of the reasons behind it – COVID and the war in the Ukraine.
Trump has tried to establish his economic credentials with voters. Pic: AP
He promises to be the champion for ordinary Americans and trumpets the likes of his tariff war with China as proof of this.
Cultural anxieties
“You’re being overrun by criminals,” Trump said earlier this year, speaking about migrant crime.
While he is often fact-checked on such topics, he speaks directly to the fears people hold nonetheless.
A Trump supporter outside the vice presidential debate in October. Pic: AP
One of the few policies Trump has consistently held throughout his political career is his famous border wall.
People trust him on the topic, trust he understands their fears, and trust he intends to do something about it.
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America on the world stage
Make America Great Again – the phrase that is intrinsically linked to Trump’s identity.
But this slogan reveals a real fear for many Americans who vote for him, that the US is no longer top dog.
“It taps into a deep sense of humiliation,” Professor David Smith from the United States Study Centre says.
The US is still a political, economic, and cultural heavyweight but Americans don’t always perceive it that way.