Donald Trump will be sworn into office for a second time as president on Monday, but under much different circumstances than his first inauguration eight years ago. This time, Trump is buoyed by a stronger election victory and support from powerful figures like Elon Musk who once opposed him. Trump is also wiser to the ways of D.C., and has surrounded himself with a better team to accomplish his agenda, including Vice President-elect JD Vance, and cabinet nominees Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
All of this adds up to what at least one commentator is calling a "New Independence Day" on January 20. "The lawfare, the tyrannical government, the rules and regulations, the spending, the crime and open borders, all of that stuff," says Dr. Brian Joondeph, writer and political commentator. "This may be the day that things turn around and start improving, and we get the yoke of oppression off our backs."
Joondeph tells KTRH that in hindsight, the disappointment of the 2020 election was a blessing in disguise. "I think that (loss) was necessary," he says. "Otherwise this would be the last few days of Trump's second term, and I don't think it would have been a whole lot better or different from his first term, because he wouldn't have had that break and a chance to regroup."
Eight years ago, it seemed Trump and the MAGA movement were just happy and relieved to be there. Now, expectations for Trump 2.0 are sky high. "It's kind of like a football game, where you play a lousy first half and the coach reads you the riot act during halftime, and you come out a new team in the second half," says Joondeph.
For Team Trump, the second half begins Monday.