If President Donald Trump’s careers in real estate development, television, and now politics have taught us anything, it is that he likes to leave his mark (and his name) on everything he touches. Some of those marks, like the profusion of gilt ornaments and gold, Trump-branded coasters in the Oval Office, will almost certainly be removed by future presidents. Others, like the proposed construction of a White House ballroom or his plan to build a “Garden of Heroes” featuring statues of great Americans, are more likely to become permanent parts of the White House and National Mall.
So far, Trump’s most enthusiastic attempts to leave his mark on history in his second term have come in the form of numerous executive orders (EOs) that are also unlikely to prove lasting, as they will be reversed the moment a Democrat is sworn in as president. Yet they are revealing of Trump’s approach to history and national memory.
Comments