Donald Trump's second term: success or failure?
Daily Digest 6/12/26
Recently I had a conversation with a libertarian friend who took the position that President Trump’s second term has been an outright failure, and that he has accomplished nothing of note. A while back, another libertarian-leaning acquaintance even claimed that we’re worse off now than we would have been had Kamala Harris won in 2024.
That strikes me as absurd.
I decided to sit down and figure out exactly what Trump has accomplished since his second inauguration:
If your measure of success is limited to one or two issues, such as foreign policy and government spending, then it’s easy to dismiss him as a failure. But the coalition that carried Trump back to the White House in 2024 was much broader than that, and so are the goals and priorities that brought many Americans to his side.
Unlike libertarians, my number one priority is immigration, and President Trump has delivered on that issue. The southern border, which was effectively wide open during Joe Biden’s tenure, has been sealed, and construction of the border wall has resumed. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been continuously engaged in deportation operations, not only prioritizing criminals but also those who are “simply” in our country illegally. The mobile app that the Biden administration used to allow illegal aliens to enter the country by claiming refugee or asylum status was repurposed to make it easy for those here illegally to voluntarily leave.
Numbers vary, but I’ve read that at least two million illegal aliens have left the country, whether by enforcement action or voluntary departure. Net migration to the United States was negative last year for the first time in recent memory, and new job gains since 2025 have gone primarily to American workers rather than illegal or foreign labor.
I don’t claim Donald Trump is perfect, but he’s accomplished so much more than I ever expected a president to do. He permanently changed American politics, and has given us a chance to save this country that we love. The rest is up to us.
I converted this article into a podcast, so if that’s your thing, check it out here or on your favorite podcast player!
Should the Idaho GOP go to a caucus?
Idaho GOP chairwoman Dorothy Moon wrote this week that as a private organization, the party gets to decide how it selects its nominees, which means it’s up to members of the party whether to hold a primary, a caucus, or a convention:
At the end of the day, the Idaho GOP is a private organization. We are not part of the government, and we have the right to decide how we nominate our candidates for the general election. There is nothing in natural law that says a state-run primary—whether open or closed—is the only or best way to choose nominees.
In fact, the modern primary system is largely a product of the Progressive Era at the turn of the 20th century. Before that, political parties often selected their nominees through conventions or caucuses, where delegates gathered in schools, churches, and grange halls to debate issues and choose candidates.
If the Idaho GOP decides to return to a caucus or convention system for choosing its nominees, that is its right, and as chair it will be my duty to carry it out. It certainly wouldn’t be my first rodeo. Remember when the Idaho Legislature “accidentally” eliminated the March presidential primary a couple of years ago? My team and I had to scramble to ensure Idaho Republicans would still have a meaningful voice in selecting our presidential nominee.
A few press releases:
Video of the day
The Republican Party of Texas is hosting its state convention this week. Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign brought a real life elephant into the arena, which promptly urinated in front of the press row:
I hope to have some time this weekend to catch up on the discussion on my new platform proposal. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Idaho GOP state convention in Meridian starting next Thursday. Make sure you’re registered, and sign up for the special lunches and dinner while you’re at it.
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The Republican Party is not a private organization. It is a collection of voters who will vote on public issues to put public people in public office to carry out public policy.
Further, it is in the interest of the state to have public political parties and closed primaries for every party. This forces a party to hone its approach to the issues in a closed primary to select the best candidate to represent those issues in the general election.