As we begin a new Trump administration, it is essential that we consider what Trump values based on not what he says but what he does.

 During Trump’s first term in office, we saw him create a performative presidency with little concern for legislation other than a tax cut that was mostly dedicated to wealthy Americans. But his daily rhetoric was extreme and excessive by historical standards and served to hide his more base motives within a stream-of-consciousness babble designed to distract from his more serious intents.

Consequently, Trump harangued endlessly about “The Wall” but, in fact, spent little effort in building a wall, adding more repair sections than new ones. His rhetoric regarding The Wall had a deeper purpose: to identify “The Other,” brown-skinned invaders whom he invited Americans to dislike and distrust. That resonated with a sizable section of Americans who felt ignored by their government and were more than willing to name Others to blame.

 But this time, this term in his presidency, Trump is using both his old, familiar tools to distract and misdirect, while also seeking accomplishments that fit his personal intentions in the White House. Examples of the distract and misdirect strategy are making Canada our 51st state, stealing the Panama Canal from Panama, renaming the Gulf of Mexico, and invading Greenland as a national security issue. None of these events will happen, nor does Trump care about them. But they serve his purpose of having Americans talk about the absurd, while Trump conducts the true absurdity in front of our eyes.

 Consider the depth of Trump’s absurdities and their successes. Trump is now, again, turning attention to the southern border. He promptly sent 1,500 National Guard to the border…to do nothing because border crossings were already at a 20-year low. He ran on getting inflation under control, but inflation is already under three percent and appears stable. He ran on expanding America’s oil production, but we are already producing far more oil daily than any other country, and oil companies do not want to increase production, which would reduce profits.

These are all parts and portions of Trump’s performative presidency, and all serve the purpose of distracting Americans from his actual goals — personal power, and personal wealth.

In terms of power, Trump has successfully muted the entire Republican Party, threatening them with chasing anyone out of public office who denies his most absurd nominees. So, while Republican senators cringe at making Pete Hegseth secretary of Defense because he is wholly unqualified, they will, nevertheless, grant Hegseth control over 3 million members of our armed forces, bending to Trump’s will.

Trump seeks the same kind of power over countries that have counted on their long-term relationship with the United States. In this arena, he threatens NATO, invites Russia to attack NATO countries, and, most importantly, threatens tariffs to undermine trade agreements with America that will destabilize economies across the globe. Trump chooses this method, tariffs, because, as president, he alone can control the pressure on nations; no actions from Congress are needed.

 Likewise, Trump openly violates using his office for personal gain by granting a BitCoin Meme for himself and his wife, a financial form of currency that could yield him more than a billion in individual wealth. It is a more significant con than his “Stop the Steal” fund-raiser that duped thousands of Americans to contribute to keeping Trump in office after he lost a free and fair election. That money, those donations, went almost entirely to Trump-directed outcomes unrelated to his 2020 loss. The donors never complained. They likely never knew.

Donald Trump is not a mystery or an enigma. He is a man seeking personal power and wealth while distracting Americans from those motivations.

Jim Crawford is a retired educator and political enthusiast living here in the Tri-State.