A balanced look at Trump’s accomplishments, economic record, and foreign policy – and the debate over his impact on America.

Are you one of the millions of Americans who can’t think of a single positive thing Trump has accomplished in his five years in office? Even though roughly half the country thinks he’s doing a good job, you may see things differently. You might even believe him to be flawed, reckless, or unfit for the role. While it’s conceivable that this media darling of yesteryear – once toasted by Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Oprah Winfrey – suddenly became a Nazi, there’s another logical explanation. Given that most news coverage about Trump is negative, your views may have been influenced, at least in part, by dominant narratives shaping public perception. If you’re at all curious whether your opinions have been shaped by one-sided reporting, I can offer a simple test.

Here is a short list of 30 actions, statements, and accomplishments that Trump’s supporters widely view as positive. Whether you love him, hate him, or are somewhere in between, you should be able to find something in this list that is plausibly positive. If not, that in itself is worth examining. It doesn’t mean that you’re wrong, but we must recognize that reasonable people can look at the same facts and reach very different conclusions. Confirmation bias and black-and-white thinking can affect anyone, especially in a polarized environment like we have today.

I encourage you to read the list below to see if you can find something that resonates as positive. If you are unable to find even one good thing on this list, that could be a red flag. There are plenty of voices on TV and social media that condemn everything that Donald Trump has done. But, adopting that view could lead you to judge others who like some of the things Trump is doing. Granted, his supporters should understand why some people dislike or fear him. By the same token, his critics might be expected to Trump detractors see how reasonable people could support Trump’s policies and actions without being labeled as villains. So let’s dive in. Here’s the list:

List of 30 “Accomplishments” of Donald Trump

First Term (2017–2021):

1. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which delivered tax relief, got incredible pre-COVID economic growth with record-low unemployment for multiple demographic groups, including the lowest unemployment for Blacks in history.[i]
2. Brokered the Abraham Accords, normalizing relations between Israel and several Arab nations.[ii]
3. Appointed three conservative Supreme Court justices, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett (Liberals aren’t expected to agree on this one.)[iii]
4. Renegotiated trade deals that were beneficial to the US, replacing NAFTA with the USMCA, imposing tariffs on China to address unfair trade practices.[iv]
5. Passed the First Step Act, advancing criminal justice reform with huge support from prison reform advocates, even the ACLU [v]
6. Achieved U.S. energy independence through expanded domestic production and deregulation.[vi]
7. Created Space Force[vii]

Second Term (2025–early 2026)

• Decreased illegal border crossings by over 90% in two months and the lowest levels in 50 years in less than a year. [viii]
• Targeted large-scale removals of criminal illegal immigrants including gang members and repeat offenders.[ix]
• Government Efficiency (DOGE): Cut federal bureaucracy, reduced wasteful spending, and achieved significant workforce reductions. Cut waste and fraud.[x]
• Supported broad deregulation, including costly green energy restrictions and initiatives[xi]
• Embraced and promoted Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) with RFK Jr., longtime Democrat environmental champion and public health advocate.[xii]
• Rescinded DEI Policies: Signed executive orders eliminating prior DEI mandates while protecting women’s sports and spaces.[xiii]
• “Peace Through Strength”: Helped broker a ceasefire in Gaza and negotiated hostage releases (Oct. 2025), disrupted Iran’s nuclear program, founded Board of Peace to help Arab nations to want to respect Israel and work with them; pressured countries to end wars in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia.[xiv]
• “Peace through Investment”: using money and mutual benefits instead of threats and military force to get compliance from foreign nations[xv]
• Caused many Arab nations to align against Iran in the current conflict[xvi]
• Reduced our dependance on China for rare earth metals by creating a strategic stockpile and making international supply deals[xvii]
• Got Nicolas Maduro out of power, with citizens dancing in the streets, but let the country continue to rule itself[xviii]
• Is now close to ending the 47-year war that Iran has been waging against the US[xix]
• Offered 90 million Iranians freedom from decades of oppression under a regime that has slaughtered tens of thousands of them just for openly demonstrating[xx]
• Economic Revival & Sovereignty: boosted working class jobs through reindustrialization of US with tariffs and deregulation. Getting key supply lines for steel, pharmaceuticals, away from China and back in our own hands[xxi]
• Energy Abundance: “Drill baby drill”, Nuclear energy startups, directed AI data centers to build their own power plants to avoid upsurge in energy costs[xxii]
• 2026 tax cuts included no tax on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits[xxiii]
• Stemmed the flow of cheap, dangerous drugs into the U.S. resulting in 21% drop in deaths from overdose in 2025[xxiv]
• Created a National AI framework to stave off the threat from China while creating guidelines to promote public safety [xxv]
• Lowered inflation[xxvi]
• Reduced cost of prescription drugs[xxvii]
• Wants to stop paying health insurance companies billions and give it to the people for their own health care costs[xxviii]
• Proposed election integrity measures such as requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for voting, setting stricter deadlines for mail-in ballots, and maintaining accurate voter rolls.[xxix]
• Revitalizing the Monroe Doctrine to take back control of the Western Hemisphere, getting China out of Panama and Venezuela[xxx]

That’s my list. Let me know in the comments below if you see anything that reflects a positive concern for our nation. If not, you may be buying into a narrative that is increasingly dividing our country right down the middle. I recommend that you think for yourself. Step back from the critics and doomsayers. There is much to be grateful for. Donald Trump says we’re on the verge of a golden age. I believe it. I support it. And even if he’s wrong about some of it, it’s hard to believe he’s wrong about everything. Besides, he has less than 3 years to go, and he is not going to end this nation. America has suffered through worse things than a bad president and survived.

Finally, we should all hope that Trump succeeds in many of the things he is trying to do: ending forever wars, neutralizing the threat of a nuclear Iran, restoring jobs and supply chains to the United States, making our cities and border towns safer, and preserving the integrity of our electoral process.

Making America great again has become a rallying cry for some and an epithet for others. It should mean that we uphold the high calling set by our Constitution and our Founding Fathers: to protect our nation and its citizens while using our strength and wealth to the benefit of all nations. That is what made America great. We are still rich and powerful, but we have succumbed to the lie of an inevitable, managed decline. We must unite around a commitment to American greatness. A stronger, freer America will not only be good for Americans. It will be a gift to every nation on Earth. That is our destiny. That is our opportunity. That is our responsibility.

Hoping for the best,

Gary Peyrot
Redding, California
April 2026

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References:

[i] “President Donald J. Trump’s Policies are Delivering Record-Breaking Economic Results for African Americans,” https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trumps-policies-delivering-record-breaking-economic-results-african-americans/             

[ii] “The Abraham Accords,” https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-abraham-accords/

[iii] “List of federal judges appointed by Donald Trump,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_judges_appointed_by_Donald_Trump

[iv] “United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement,” https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement

[v] “How the FIRST STEP Act Moves Criminal Justice Reform Forward”, https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/how-first-step-act-moves-criminal-justice-reform-forward

[vi] “The United States Was Energy Independent in 2019 for the First Time Since 1957,” https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/gas-and-oil/the-united-states-was-energy-independent-in-2019-for-the-first-time-since-1957/

[vii] “Trump Signs Law Establishing U.S. Space Force,” https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/article/article/2046035/trump-signs-law-establishing-us-space-force/

[viii] “Illegal US-Mexico border crossings hit lowest level in over half a century,” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8wd8938e8o

[ix] “Making America Safe Again: DHS Arrested 7,000 Gang Members from American Streets in First Year”, https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/20/making-america-safe-dhs-arrested-7000-gang-members-american-streets-first-year

[x] “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Cost Efficiency Initiative,” https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/implementing-the-presidents-department-of-government-efficiency-cost-efficiency-initiative/

[xi] “Trump administration set to announce rollback of power plant rules, sources say”, https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/trump-administration-set-announce-rollback-power-plant-rules-sources-say-2025-06-11/

[xii] “White House EO establishes Make America Healthy Again Commission”, https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2025-02-13-white-house-eo-establishes-make-america-healthy-again-commission

[xiii] “Trump signs executive order intended to bar transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports”, https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-transgender-athletes-3606411fc12efffec95a893351624e1b

[xiv] “October 14, 2025 – Gaza ceasefire news,” https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-gaza-ceasefire-deal-hostages-10-14-25

[xv] “Emerging Issues in Economic Diplomacy”, https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/emerging-issues-economic-diplomacy

[xvi] “Gulf allies privately make the case to Trump to keep fighting until Iran is decisively defeated”, https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-saudi-arabia-mbs-gulf-war-uae-89f690b952fe28d3140c537b70fa5051

[xvii] “Trump Unveils Plan for US$12 Billion Critical Minerals Stockpile”, https://investingnews.com/trumps-12billion-critical-minerals-stockpile/

[xviii] “Why Venezuelans Are Dancing in the Streets”, https://manhattan.institute/article/why-venezuelans-are-dancing-in-the-streets

[xix] “Iran has waged war on America for 47 years — time to end it”, https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/michael-oren-iran-has-waged-war-america-47-years-time-end

[xx] “Iran says 3,117 killed in recent protests, issuing lower death toll than human rights activists”, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/iran-says-3117-killed-in-recent-protests-issuing-lower-death-toll-than-human-rights-activists

[xxi] “TRUMP EFFECT: A Running List of New U.S. Investment in President Trump’s Second Term”, https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/03/trump-effect-a-running-list-of-new-u-s-investment-in-president-trumps-second-term/

[xxii] “Trump’s UN speech reveals inconvenient truth of massive green energy costs”, https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trumps-un-speech-reveals-inconvenient-truth-massive-green-energy-costs

[xxiii] “IRS published schedule taxpayers will use to claim deductions on no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on car loans, no tax on seniors”, https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-published-schedule-taxpayers-will-use-to-claim-deductions-on-no-tax-on-tips-no-tax-on-overtime-no-tax-on-car-loans-no-tax-on-seniors

[xxiv] “Overdose deaths fell nearly 21% in 2025”, https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2026-01-15-overdose-deaths-fell-nearly-21-2025

[xxv] “Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence”, https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/white-house-fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-ensures-national-policy-framework-for

[xxvi] “Breaking Down Inflation Under Trump vs. Biden”, https://smartasset.com/retirement/inflation-under-trump-vs-biden

[xxvii] “Millions on Medicare Will Save on Prescription Drugs in 2025”, https://www.aarp.org/medicare/medicare-out-of-pocket-cap-savings-2025

[xxviii] “Trump says money should go to people, not health insurers”, https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-money-should-go-people-not-health-insurers-2025-12-08/

[xxix] “Ensuring Citizenship Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections”, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/03/ensuring-citizenship-verification-and-integrity-in-federal-elections/

[xxx] “Trump strategy document revives Monroe Doctrine, slams Europe”, https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/trump-strategy-document-revives-monroe-doctrine-slams-europe-2025-12-05/

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