The Trump Illusion

I’ve spent years watching the erosion of working-class security while those in power, on both sides of the political aisle, peddle illusions. Donald Trump’s rise, reign, and continued influence is one of the starkest examples of how powerful elites have masked inequality with populist rhetoric. From where I stand, what we’re witnessing is not just political theater—it’s a system that’s rigged against everyday people, wrapped up in a flag and sold with a golden tie.

Trump didn’t emerge from a vacuum. His popularity among the working class didn’t grow simply because people were fooled—it grew because people were desperate. Wages have been stagnant for decades. The cost of living keeps rising. Communities that once thrived on manufacturing, mining, and trade are now hollowed out. When institutions and politicians fail to offer real change, someone who promises to burn it all down becomes appealing.

But let’s be honest—Trump is no working-class hero. He’s a billionaire who inherited wealth and dodged taxes. Yet he branded himself as an anti-elite outsider. This paradox exposes something dark: many working people have become so disillusioned that they place their hopes in anyone who speaks with enough fire, even if their policies betray the very people they claim to fight for.

Under Trump, corporate profits surged, while tax reforms disproportionately benefited the wealthy. Sure, some short-term job growth occurred, but it was largely unstable and precarious. There was no structural shift to rebalance economic power toward workers. In fact, union rights continued to be undermined, public services were cut, and the gig economy grew unchecked.

Then came the pandemic. Trump’s mishandling of COVID-19 exposed the brutal inequality built into the system. While billionaires gained trillions in wealth, essential workers were left with broken promises and minimal protections. The so-called economic boom Trump boasts about was never about the working class. It was about Wall Street, not Main Street.

Some argue Trump gave a voice to the forgotten Americans. But rhetoric isn’t rescue. What has he structurally changed to uplift workers? Deregulation helped polluting industries but hurt working-class communities. Trade wars made headlines but did little to resurrect domestic industry. Meanwhile, safety nets like healthcare, unemployment benefits, and public education were consistently undermined.

Beyond economics, Trump’s culture war tactics have done serious damage. By focusing attention on immigration, political correctness, and urban unrest, he distracted people from the real enemy: unchecked corporate power and systemic economic injustice. He pitted poor people against each other, rather than challenging the rich who profit from division.

I refuse to fall for the myth that Trump is the only one to blame. The Democrats, too, have failed working people for years—often offering polished speeches and symbolic gestures instead of tangible solutions. But what Trump did was exploit this betrayal, not fix it.

There’s a deeper issue here: capitalism, as it operates today, isn’t working for the majority. We’re told that the market rewards hard work, but that’s a lie when CEOs make 400 times what their workers do. The game is rigged. And Trump, instead of fixing it, became another player.

The welfare state that once offered a safety net is under siege. From the days of the Beveridge Report, the UK had a vision: to tackle want, disease, ignorance, squalor, and idleness. But that vision has faded—not just in Britain, but globally. In America, where Trump rose, social programs are gutted under the guise of freedom and self-reliance, leaving the vulnerable to fend for themselves.

And let’s talk about housing. Trump’s real estate empire is a symbol of what’s wrong. Housing should be a human right, not a speculative market for the rich. Yet millions live paycheck to paycheck, while luxury condos sit empty. He didn't just benefit from this broken system—he epitomized it.

The same goes for childcare. It’s a lifeline for working families. Yet under Trump, and in systems like the UK and beyond, it's chronically underfunded. Women especially bear the brunt of this neglect. While Trump talked about family values, his policies failed families.

Unemployment, too, was manipulated. Official numbers went down, but many jobs were part-time, temporary, or lacked benefits. A healthy economy isn’t just about numbers—it’s about dignity, security, and purpose. That was never the core of Trump’s agenda.

We must also reckon with the media's role. Too often, they amplified Trump’s every word, even when filled with lies, while ignoring grassroots voices and worker struggles. Sensationalism sells, but it doesn’t serve democracy.

What solutions, then, do I see? For one, we need to reclaim the narrative. Working-class people are not a monolith. We are diverse, resilient, and capable of organizing. We must build coalitions across race, region, and religion to demand fair wages, public investment, universal healthcare, and green jobs.

We need to democratize the economy. That means stronger unions, worker-owned cooperatives, and an end to corporate welfare. Tax the rich. Invest in schools. Fund public transport. And most importantly, listen to the people who do the work, not those who hoard the profits.

I believe in a politics of solidarity, not scapegoating. A politics that lifts from the bottom, not props up the top. Trump’s legacy is a warning: when we fail to address inequality, demagogues rise. But we can chart a new path—if we refuse to be divided.

So I ask you: in a world where billionaires pose as saviours, what will it take for working people to reclaim the power they’ve always deserved?