Donald Trump: US presidential election candidate

Early Life and Business Career

Donald John Trump was born on June 14, 1946, in New York City, the fourth of five children in a family of real estate developers. He graduated from the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 and joined his father’s real estate business. Trump expanded the family business, investing in luxury hotels and casinos, and gained national fame through the reality television show "The Apprentice," which significantly boosted his brand.

Legal Challenges

In May 2024, Trump became the first former president convicted of a crime when a New York jury found him guilty on felony charges related to business record falsification. He faces multiple legal battles, including indictments related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and allegations of financial fraud. Despite these challenges, he remains a prominent figure in American politics.

Presidential Campaign and Election

Despite ongoing legal issues, Trump has maintained substantial influence within the Republican Party. In 2016, Trump entered the presidential race as a Republican, defeating numerous rivals to secure the party's nomination. His campaign, centered on the slogan “Make America Great Again,” emphasized economic nationalism and immigration reform. Although he lost the popular vote, he won the presidency by securing a majority of Electoral College votes against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, where he continues to resonate with his base, framing himself as a victim of political persecution.

Presidency (2017–2021)

Trump served as the 45th president of the United States from January 20, 2017, to January 20, 2021. His administration was marked by significant policy changes, including tax reform, deregulation, and a controversial immigration policy. Trump was impeached twice by the House of Representatives: first in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to his dealings with Ukraine, and again in 2021 for incitement of insurrection following the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. He was acquitted by the Senate both times.

Communication Strategy

Trump utilized unconventional methods to connect with voters, most notably through Twitter, which he used as a primary platform to communicate his policies and respond to critics. This direct communication style resonated with many supporters, allowing him to bypass traditional media channels.

Key Accomplishments

During his presidency, Trump enacted several significant policies:

Job Creation and Employment: Nearly 4 million jobs created were created during his 2016 presidency as Record high employment levels were reached in US history. More than 400,000 manufacturing jobs created, with the fastest growth in over three decades.

Economic Growth: Economic growth rate saw an increase of 4.2% in the last quarter while New unemployment claims hit a 49-year low. Historic highs were recorded in median household income.

Unemployment Rates: His tenure had the lowest recorded unemployment rates for African-American, Hispanic-American, Asian-American, women, youth, and Americans without a high school diploma.Veterans' unemployment ranked at the lowest rate in nearly 20 years with nearly 3.9 million Americans lifted off food stamps.

Training and Workforce Development: He pledge to America’s Workers resulted in commitments to train over 4 million Americans while surveys conceluded that 95% of SUS manufacturers reported optimism about the future—the highest ever during his tenure. Retail sales surged by 6% over the previous year.

Tax Cuts and Economic Incentives: He made the largest tax cuts and reforms package in history, resulting in over $300 billion returning to the US in the first quarter. Small businesses benefited from the lowest top marginal tax rate in over 80 years.

International Achievements: He upported US bids for the 2028 Summer Olympics and the 2026 World Cup. He pened ANWR and approved Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.

Regulatory Reform: He enacted regulatory relief for community banks and credit unions.

Healthcare Improvements: He provided more affordable healthcare options through association health plans and short-term duration plans. During his tensure, FDA approved a record number of affordable generic drugs while he successfully reformed Medicare to save seniors hundreds of millions of dollars.

Opioid Epidemic Response: He secured $6 billion in new funding to combat the opioid epidemic while Increasing coal exports by 60% and reached all-time high US oil production. He made the US a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.

Military Funding and Defense: He secured $700 billion in military funding, with $716 billion planned for the next year. while NATO allies increased defense spending by $69 billion since 2016

Tax and regulatory Reform: He signed a major tax reform bill that reduced corporate taxes and aimed to stimulate economic growth. His administration focused on rolling back federal regulations across various industries, aiming to boost business activities via deregulation. He enacted regulatory relief for community banks and credit unions.

Trade Policies: Trump adopted protectionist trade measures, imposing tariffs on foreign aluminum and steel. He also renegotiated key trade agreements with Canada, Mexico, and other countries, seeking to prioritize American interests.

Judicial Appointments: He successfully appointed three Supreme Court justices and numerous federal judges, leaving a lasting impact on the judiciary.

Foreign Policy Initiatives

During his presidency, Trump achieved significant foreign policy milestones, including brokering normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations. He held a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, becoming the first sitting US president to meet with a North Korean leader. Additionally, he withdrew from the Iran Deal, moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem, and implemented a travel ban that was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Challenges and Controversies

A major confrontation with Congress over border wall funding led to a 35-day government shutdown in 2018, the longest in US. history. In 2019, he was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress due to allegations of pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden; however, he was acquitted by the Senate in early 2020.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 overshadowed much of his presidency, with critics arguing that his response was slow and inadequate.

Nevertheless, his administration's "Operation Warp Speed" successfully accelerated vaccine development, though the pandemic resulted in over 400,000 American lives lost by the time he left office.

Additionally, he withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord and initiated the construction of the border wall, aligning with his anti-illegal immigration rhetoric.

Furtermore, the Capitol riot is attributed to Trump spurring on violent rhetoric.

Trump lost his reelection bid to Democratic candidate Joe Biden in November 2020 and falsely claimed widespread voter fraud, culminating in a rally on January 6, 2021, which turned violent as his supporters stormed the Capitol. This led to his second impeachment for incitement of insurrection, making him the first US president to be impeached twice.

Trump vis a vis Pakistan

During President Donald Trump's tenure (2017-2021), the bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the United States experienced significant strain. Washington's primary concerns centered around alleged militant safe havens in Pakistan and Islamabad's perceived lack of cooperation in addressing the Afghan Taliban. In response, the Trump administration suspended $1.3 billion in security assistance to Pakistan and halted longstanding training and educational programs for Pakistani military officers at U.S. military academies.

Furthermore, the Trump administration sought to strengthen India-U.S. relations through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), positioning India as a key strategic partner to counter China's regional influence. This initiative further exacerbated tensions between Pakistan and the U.S.

In 2018, public disputes intensified when President Trump engaged in a Twitter exchange with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. Trump criticized Pakistan for its alleged inaction against Osama bin Laden and its role in Afghanistan, asserting that the U.S. should have captured bin Laden earlier. He also pointed out that despite billions in aid, Pakistan failed to prevent bin Laden's presence, labeling Pakistan as "fools." In response, Prime Minister Khan defended Pakistan's contributions to the War on Terror. He tweeted: “The record needs to be put straight on Mr. Trump’s tirade against Pakistan: 1. No Pakistani was involved in 9/11 but Pak decided to participate in US War on Terror. 2. Pakistan suffered 75,000 casualties in this war & over $123bn was lost to economy. US 'aid' was a minuscule $20 bn.”

A senior ministry official further addressed Trump's accusations, stating, “Rejecting the insinuations about OBL (Osama Bin Laden), the Foreign Secretary reminded the US CdA that it was Pakistan’s intelligence cooperation that had provided the initial evidence to trace the whereabouts of OBL.”

Despite these public disagreements, President Trump reached out to Prime Minister Khan in the fall of 2018 with a letter seeking assistance in the Afghan peace process. Prime Minister Khan, who has long advocated for political reconciliation in Afghanistan, responded positively, indicating a willingness to collaborate despite earlier tensions.

What could Pakistan expect next

Weakened bilateral relations: Trump's focus on India and reduced engagement with Pakistan during his first term suggests a second Trump term could further weaken ties with Pakistan, especially with U.S. forces out of Afghanistan.

Increased pressure against cooperation with China: Trump's likely tougher stance on China could place Pakistan's involvement in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under scrutiny, forcing Pakistan to balance between U.S. and Chinese interests.

Closer US-India Relations: Trump's presidency would likely bolster U.S.-India ties, especially through defense and technology cooperation, which could further marginalize Pakistan and strain its regional security situation.

Security Assistance Cut-Off: Proposed US-India Defense Cooperation Act could restrict US security aid to Pakistan, further complicating Pakistan's defense concerns, especially if accused of sponsoring terrorism against India.