American Carnage II - This Time It's Personal

A fictional history of Donald Trump's 2025 Inaugural Address

“Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system flush with cash but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now." — Donald Trump, January 2017.

Let me cast your minds forward to the cold day in January 2025, when Donald Trump begins his second term in office. This is a work of speculative fiction based on Trump’s speeches, remarks, and statements, and the plans expressed in Project 2025 and its darker cousins making the rounds.

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January 20, 2025

Donald Trump heaves his heavy frame up the short flight of stairs on the West Front of the United States Capitol that four years before fell under siege by his shock troops. His skin is caked with its usual ruddy orange makeup, and his hair is sprayed into an utterly immobile sculpture. Beneath the makeup and hair, his skin is waxy and mottled. Age and lifestyle have come for him at last, but he’s a performer, and this is the biggest show he’ll ever have, the brightest spotlight of his life.

The husky blue suit and red tie are the usual uniform. His breathing is heavy, and as he stares out at the massive crowd on the Mall, his eyes tighten, flickering across the near audience and the far. His emotion isn’t happiness or awe but rather a throbbing irritation. He wanted a nicer day. He wanted a bigger crowd. He wanted Melania to smile for once. He wanted more love from the members of Congress and the Senate.

It was the tightest election since Bush and Gore in 2000. Long, brutal, and ugly until the last moment, Trump won a narrow Electoral College victory by the skin of his teeth. Biden could have contested it, played the Trump game, and fought it to the terrible last, but Trump was ahead by enough in enough states that Biden knew he’d never get a Bush v. Gore outcome from this Supreme Court.

Trump knew the speechwriters had been up late into the night at his instruction. Fearing leaks, he made the last-minute changes after talking to Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon, Michael Anton, and a few others he trusted without anyone else knowing their content. The speech the grownups thought he would make wasn’t the speech in his coat pocket or the one that would be loaded in the Teleprompter at the last second.

He’d kept all the naysayers out of this loop. Especially Susie Wiles, his incoming White House Chief of Staff. She’d been good enough in the campaign, but she was already pissing him off by telling him “no” to his ideas. ‘She might not last,’ he thought, ‘I’m my own best Chief of Staff.’ They’d all come crawling back in now that he was re-elected. Jared and Ivanka tried to make him soften the speech. He wasn’t falling for that again.

It was a short walk to the podium, and he made a mental note that the red carpet from the door to the podium wasn’t thick enough. He liked the crowd noise, the thrumming, the distant buzz of cheers, and the way the red hats made the mall almost glow, even under the dull, drizzly skies that threatened to turn to sleet.

He knew that the media was talking endlessly about the speech they thought he was about to give. It could have been from any Establishment Republican. He relished the embarrassment that would flood the eyes of the smug liberals at MSNBC. He imagined the shocked New York Times reporters who would call his cell phone the second this speech ended.

He stared for a long moment, absorbing the tidal wave of applause, loving the shock he would cause in just a few moments.

“My fellow Americans, for too long, we have seen our values eroded, our borders weakened, and our heritage disrespected. But today, we begin the journey to reclaim what is rightfully ours – the soul of America. Our founders intended this to be a Christian nation with Godly values. They saw what millions and millions — more people than ever before — see today: that wokeism, liberalism, and democrat politics will kill our great nation.”

The crowd goes wild, an animalistic, atavistic roar. Trump glances around the West front of the Capitol, watching the faces of the Senators and the Supreme Court justices. He smiles at Clarence Thomas for a long moment. The roar fades down.

“I promised you I would be your retribution against the people who made you hate yourself, the people who talked down to you, the people who said you were wrong to believe that the Marxists and socialists were plotting to destroy you. I promised to hit the media, the elites, the RINOS, and the liberals on your behalf, and with God as my witness, today is the first day of your revenge. American retribution against the traitors in out midst is coming, I promise you that. They wanted to destroy America.”

“Instead, we will embrace a new vision for America – one rooted in the principles of nationalism. Nationalism, such a popular word, more popular all the time. We will put America first in all that we do, ensuring that the needs of our citizens come before those of foreign nations or the evil progressive traitors who don’t share our American values.”

“For too long, liberals and cultural Marxists passed laws that made America weak. Weak laws. Bad laws. Laws that we will no longer obey as we Make America Great Again.”

The crowd noise is like the scream of a jet engine passing low overhead. It lasts for several minutes, and Trump beams out at them, feeling the mob’s heat and love for him. A glance around the stage again shows him a series of quick pictures he’ll treasure. Mitch McConnell and Coco Chao stared stone-faced. Mike Johnson, smiling ear to ear. Looking drawn and pale, Mitt Romney has the temerity to stare back and meet his eye. Elon Musk, seated in the second row, is beaming and posting selfies. Musk’s deal to buy Truth Social had made Trump enough to pay his billions in legal obligations.

“We stand at a crossroads where chaos and division threaten to tear us apart. Strong measures and strong action must be taken, and the old ways and the old laws will slow us down and destroy America.”

“But fear not, for we will not falter. We will not be swayed by the false promises of globalism or the poisonous rhetoric of political correctness. We will root out wokeness, the evils of reverse-racism diversity and affirmative action, and we will break the back of the cultural Marxists in our midst who pollute the minds of our beautiful children. We will end the control of woke local and state school boards over our kids' minds, establishing a new Department of American Education that sets national standards for every classroom.”

“We will protect our heritage and identity, celebrating our forefathers' achievements and preserving the traditions that have made America great. We will reject the false gods of multiculturalism and diversity, embracing instead the unity and strength that come from a shared sense of purpose and belonging. We will return our history to its rightful place, including the names of real American heroes the Biden Regieme stripped away from our strong, strong forts and military bases.”

“We will restore law and order to our streets, cracking down on crime and violence wherever it may lurk in urban areas where black crime threatens us all.”

Now for the good stuff.

“I, President Donald J. Trump, promise you that beginning today, we will deport every single person who is here illegally. No exception. No refugees. No more. They will be placed in camps until we can ship them home. Not a nice camp, either. We will pause the process of legal immigration, which is so often abused by criminals, terrorists, and thugs, to stay here. Some day, if they behave, maybe we will allow legal immigrants. That will be a long, long time from now, I can promise you that.”

He was a little winded, and it was hard to hear over the crowd’s endless roar of approval. This was his favorite part, and he wanted to savor it.

“We tried to build a beautiful wall, and frankly, we did build it. But that Wall was undermined by a Fifth Column of Progressive Democrats, un-American liberals, and people who hate our great country. Now we know that the Border is the most dangerous place on Earth, and we must secure it before one more beautiful American loses their job or their life to these subhuman thugs who speak languages no one has ever heard before and are only coming here to steal, rape, and pollute the blood of our people.”

“That is why I will sign an executive order today establishing a shoot-to-kill policy at the border. We must let these third-world animals know we mean business.”

The crowd is screaming something now, and it takes a moment to understand it from this distance. “Shoot. To. Kill. Shoot. To. Kill.”

“I am declaring a national security area from the border with Mexico up 250 miles, and with the cooperation of our great Republican governors, we will deploy not only Federalized National Guard units but will also license private military contractors to secure our border. This is my message to anyone crossing our border illegally: you are now presumed to be an enemy combatant and will be shot on sight. No exceptions. No mercy, and not one more crossing.”

At this point, something is stirring in his peripheral vision. Incoming House Speak Hakim Jeffries stands up, turns, and walks to the exit. A few others follow. Trump grins maniacally and returns to the prompter.

“Any state that offers food, water, shelter, or medical aid to these dangerous criminals, drug smugglers, and terrorists crossing our great border will be held liable by our Justice Department and subject to investigation, prosecution, and imprisonment. Some say it should be the death penalty, but I’m nice. I’m trying to be nice. Maybe I won’t be so nice.

‘Now for some more fun,’ he thought.

“Four years ago, Joe Biden stole the election from the great American people. I promised to win, and we did win. We won then, and now we won again, despite all the Deep State’s attempts to stop us. Joe Biden’s criminal regime used the weaponized Department of Justice, corrupt judges, big tech — not you, Elon. You’re very nice to me — and the corrupt news media to prosecute and persecute me for doing nothing wrong. They stole my business for doing nothing wrong.”

Today, I promise you, Joe Biden will pay and pay big. Right, Joe?”

Biden’s face is a rigid mask. Jill Biden is looking at Trump with an expression of cold fury. The crowd howls with delight, screaming, “Lock him up!”

“Our great Justice Department. So many strong men, big men who work in the Justice Department, have come to me with tears in their eyes and say, ‘Please, Mr. Trump. Save us from the Deep State.’ And we will. I will personally pick the new leaders at the DOJ, the Department of Defense, and the CIA for loyalty. To me. To Trump. They will be America First, not the corrupt liberal sleeper agents installed there now by progressives and traitors. They weaponized the government against me. Now, it’s my turn.”

“For three years, the United States has moved closer and closer to World War III because the Deep State wants a war with Russia. Later today, I will end all United States military, humanitarian, and intelligence support for Ukraine. The Deep State wants nuclear war with Russia, and I am ending that and them right now. Ukraine is a corrupt and dirty regime who have cost our Russian friends almost half a million lives of brave soldiers.”

The crowd was less exuberant now but still cheering. He couldn’t see Tucker from his position but knew he’d be happy.

“Why are we fighting against Russia? We share their values more than we share Ukraine’s. In Russia, they understand strong leadership by strong men. They are a Christian nation. We are a Christian nation. Many people say Ukraine is dominated by Nazis. Like Russia, we’re ending the trans and the woke gay culture. Ukraine’s warlike campaign against the peaceful Russian people is OVER.”

“Many people have told me this is a war my predecessor personally made corrupt billions from. We know that Ukraine’s leader took up to 90% of the money we sent him and is one of the richest men in the world. I will have the Department of Justice — a new meaning, Justice, like we’ve never had it before — investigate all the people making billions off the Ukraine scam. Ukraine is Russia, and this war must end now.”

Far away in Moscow, Putin chuckles softly.

“For seventy years, America spent trillions of dollars giving Europe a free ride. NATO is a liberal scam to make America weak, and its warlike attacks and provocations on peaceful Russia must end. Congress passed a law saying I cannot withdraw from NATO but promise you, I will, beginning immediately, I will end NATO forever.”

“NATO exists today only to threaten Russia and to harm the peaceful Russian people. Many people are saying NATO now reminds them of the Nazis, and they’re so, so right.”

“I am ordering the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today to begin bringing back all of our beautiful—and powerful—tanks and planes from Europe and redeploy them to the real battlefront on our southern border.”

“My speech on this day would not be complete without telling you how grateful I am for the support of Christian Americans who believe in a Godly version of America that supports the value of life. I ended Roe vs. Wade, and with the help of my strong Senate and my Supreme Court, we will have a Secretary of Life named later this week. He will use every power at the Federal government’s disposal to end the terror of abortion.”

“I was told by people who were very, very wrong that In-Vitro Fertilization was good, but now I know it makes so many babies who are killed. Former House Speaker Mike Johnson and many of our great evangelicals have told me about the frozen babies. Frozen and killed. It’s very, very bad. And it ends now.”

“My Department of Justice will investigate Planned Parenthood and every other abortion provider for murder. We will declare that any university medical school that receives Federal funding may only teach obstetrics and gynecology based on the Godly and Christian principles.”

It was back to the speechwriter stuff, and he felt a little bored. There were long blocks about making the economy great again, but that was just noise to him. He started wrapping up.

“But let me be clear – this journey will not be easy. There will be those who seek to undermine our efforts, who will label us as divisive or intolerant. But we will not be deterred. We will stand firm in our convictions, knowing we are fighting for our children's and grandchildren's futures.”

“So I ask you to join me in this noble endeavor. Let us work together to build a brighter future for all Americans – a future where our values are respected, our borders are secure, and our nation is strong and proud.”

“Together, we will make America great again. Thank you, and God bless America.”

Those are the stakes, folks. Laugh now, if you will, but this little alternate future history isn’t nearly as nightmarish as it could and will be.