08/20/2026
Donald Trump’s grievance was personal: despite his wealth and privilege, he remained bitter about acceptance by the social and financial elite.
The grievances of workers, farmers, and small-business owners were different—and often quite real. They watched economic security disappear, communities deteriorate, industries leave, and political institutions become increasingly unresponsive.
Trump’s political achievement was to fuse these very different grievances. He made his resentment their resentment, gave their economic pain his enemies, and persuaded millions that avenging Donald Trump would somehow avenge them.
But does Trump actually intend to remedy their grievances—or does he need those wounds to remain open?