Author John Michael Chambers published his book, Trump and the Resurrection of America: Leading America’s Second Revolution, in March 2017, barely two months after Donald Trump took office in his first term. The globalists trembled as Trump and this movement threatened their totalitarian world government, according to Chambers’ book. How about the victory in 2024 — America’s Third Revolution, perhaps?
What impact would Trump’s victory have on immigration or abortion rights in America? Democrats might argue that Trump 2.0 would make the US further divided and a post-Truth 2.0 era would emerge. Also, will a Trump victory alter the Middle East crisis, for example?
The just-concluded US election undoubtedly scripted a spectacular resurrection. Donald Trump redefined the concept of a political comeback, perhaps in this era of social media, artificial intelligence, and a looming shadow of global uncertainties and post-truth.
Comeback, huh? Isn’t there the example of Vladimir Lenin? Indeed, after being exiled to Siberia for sedition, spending 10 years in Western Europe watching Russian politics from afar, winning a civil war, having the entire royal family executed, and creating one of the two superpowers that shaped the 20th century and radically changed the path of history — Lenin’s comeback may be the greatest of all.
Then there is the case of Charles De Gaulle, whose first term in power already represented a comeback because he had previously led the French government in exile during World War II and had returned to lead the provisional government following liberation in 1945. De Gaulle was out of politics for the next 12 years after resigning in January 1946.
The Fifth Republic
He was recalled to power in 1958 following a failed military coup in French Algeria. In addition, he instituted the Fifth Republic, was elected president of France by direct universal suffrage the following year, and served in that capacity until 1969.
Considering Lenin and Charles De Gaulle, and also the astonishing comeback stories of Churchill, Deng Xiaoping, Napoleon Bonaparte, Silvio Berlusconi, or Robert the Bruce at different points in history and also in different corners of the globe, it’s true that Trump’s is still among the most remarkable political comebacks in history. Not to forget that a significant portion of the media has accused Trump of being a serial liar; he was twice impeached, convicted of 34 felonies, and was facing numerous other felonies.
In the victory speech, US veep-elect Mike Vance lauded Trump’s victory as the greatest political comeback in the history of the US. Perhaps. Not sure, though. Interestingly, Trump is just the second American president who’d serve two non-consecutive terms. The Democrat Grover Cleveland, a native New Yorker like Trump, became president for the first time in 1884 and then lost to Benjamin Harrison in 1888. “We are coming back four years from today,” his wife, Frances, reportedly told the White House staff to remember their preferences and take care of everything as they were leaving the White House. Cleveland won a rematch with Harrison in 1892. Well, in January 2021, did Melania Trump or any of Trump’s family members give any White House employees instructions like this? In his final hours as president, Trump, however, told his supporters, “So just a goodbye. We love you. We will be back in some form.”
In this star-studded election, where Kamala Harris received the endorsement of an almost endless and dazzling list of pop stars and celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and others, Donald Trump appeared to be the biggest star in America right now. He is without a doubt the greatest comeback king of our time, regardless of whether one likes him or hates him.
The writer is Professor of Statistics, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata