Donald Trump is unlike any President the United States has ever had. His erratic behavior, controversial antics, and aggressive political views have made him an odd figure in American politics. The citizens of the United States are the most divided they have been in recent memory, and there is an endless amount of arguments over what is the truth and what is political propaganda. For better or for worse, President Trump may have changed the political climate of the United States forever.
Following his inauguration, President Trump signed a plethora of controversial executive orders into law. These laws include Executive Order 13766, which permits the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines, Executive Order 13767, the order for the construction of a wall along the border of the United States and Mexico, Executive Order 13769, the travel ban on Muslims from seven different countries and indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, and many more that marked a drastic departure from the actions of most U.S. Presidents prior to Trump.
The most notable aspect of the decisions to build the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines is that they were both rejected by former U.S. President Barack Obama after various protests and debates.
In addition, Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, faced a repeal of its essential health benefits feature by Trump and his administration. Trump has brought a new attitude to American politics altogether, changing the perception of Americans and foreigners alike.
Such a drastic change from prior presidents should undoubtedly raise some eyebrows, given this country's international influence. The United States is the last remaining superpower on Earth, which means that it exercises the most political power and influence of any nation. It is also expected to provide the most firepower in a military situation because of its abundance of spending on military weapons. While taking an aggressive approach to certain issues certainly helps, an excess of anything is not exactly ideal.
The United States may carry this attitude into the future for years to come because of how Trump has pumped up his supporters ever since he rose to prominence. Trump's followers have been staunchly opposed to anything that does not align with their ideas in a rather radical manner. This spreads to refusing to hear the other side of the story, harsh criticism and discrimination such as racism.
Never have the citizens of the United States been so divided since the Civil War. The two major political parties cannot agree on much, and their respective supporters constantly quarrel in unprecedented ways. There is a large quantity of media bias issued by both sides of the political spectrum and it seems to have no end in sight. The most concerning thing about all of this is the fact that Trump had no political background prior to becoming President, which may lead other unqualified candidates to follow suit.
Trump and his supporters look to keep America's image as a right-wing, aggressive nation for the foreseeable future, perhaps forever. This may influence how future elections are carried out, as well as which political candidates will gain favor among the public.