At the time of writing this piece, it is expected that Donald Trump will vault himself even further into the media spotlight to announce he is running for President, again, hoping to get the second term that he failed to win in 2020. Even though he has not been President for over a year and a half, he has remained in the news for a number of reasons—some good, some bad—continues to hold rallies, and has maintained a very public profile. Given his personality, this is not surprising to most people. Even now with the recent midterm election results and a large amount of finger pointing for the failure of Republicans to gain ground in a country facing a poorly performing economy, inflation, and numerous other issues.
But why would Trump want to run again?
Clear his name? Finish a job he saw as unfinished? A desire to correct the course of a country he sees heading in the wrong direction? Maybe some or all of these, but we also have to look at why he ran in the first place. Yes, I can hear some of you in the back screaming “to Make America Great Again,” but while that is a catchy slogan it is not a reason to run for President, nor the likely real reason he ran. Very few people can even begin to understand the amount of fame, money, and power Donald Trump already held prior to running for office. While many contend that he gave it all up to be President—and in some sense this is true—it only amounted to be a blurb in pop culture history. Especially compared to the often maligned John D. Rockefeller, who in today’s figures would be worth close to $418 billion, or Andrew Carnegie, who comes in at close to $310 billion in current figures. Putting that into perspective, Elon Musk, considered the richest person in the world, taps in at just $203 billion based on figures in November 2022.
All of these figures, when compared to Trump’s range of $3.2 to $5.9 billion net worth, are significantly larger. Both Rockefeller and Carnegie are entrenched in American history for their roles in helping America grow into an economic powerhouse. Not only are they a large part of the nation’s history, but like Bill Gates with his $100 billion, who, along with many others, created philanthropic foundations, both Rockefeller and Carnegie continue to positively contribute to many in America through their philanthropic endeavors. Why does this matter you ask? I’m getting to that here very quickly, but these are important facts to consider when trying to honestly answer the question of why Trump ran and may run for President again. To help convey the point, I will call on John D. Rockefeller once again, having once stated, “The poorest man I know is the man who has nothing but money.”
For all of the wealth and fame—which is always fleeting—especially as internet stars make millions and are forgotten more quickly than they rise to fame, it is the enduring legacy that the position of President of the United States holds that calls and called Trump to run. Most people see their legacy in their children and grandchildren, and while their names may be forgotten in a few generations, it is enough. For someone like Donald Trump though, with a very large ego, a larger than life personality, a business empire, and a penchant for publicity, his family legacy would not suffice. He wanted to and did succeed in making history, and wants to ensure that enshrinement if he chooses to run again. Is it good for the country or the Republican party? That is an entirely different debate, but before I am slammed for beating up on Trump, I will disclose that I did support Trump in 2016 in the general election and in 2020. I will leave you with one more Rockefeller quote, “The man will be most successful who confers the greatest service on the world.”
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