Donald Trump is gearing up to make history again—not for some noble achievement, but as the oldest man to behave like a toddler while serving as president. If his second term becomes a reality, it seems like it’ll be more of the same: tantrums, chaos, and his trademark flair for drama.
Trump, now 78, has a proven track record of throwing fits when he doesn’t get his way. He once caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and it looks like he’s aiming to outdo himself by bringing Washington to another grinding halt. Imagine a kid in a grocery store demanding candy, except this time, the “candy” is absolute control over government procedures, and the indulgent parents are his allies in Congress, bending over backward to appease him.
His latest demand? A sky-high debt ceiling—or better yet, none at all—for at least the first two years of his potential presidency. Trump’s vision isn’t to govern as a president but to rule like a king. While his loyal supporters in Congress scurry to make this happen, their initial attempt has already crashed and burned. Now, as the holidays approach, the odds of avoiding another government shutdown are slim, especially with Trump meddling in the process.
To make matters worse, Trump has floated the idea of letting the government remain frozen until he takes office on January 20. That would leave the country without a functioning government for over a month, creating ripple effects nationwide. Ironically, even Trump himself could feel the impact—possibly the only thing that might spur him into action.
Could a Government Shutdown Backfire on Trump’s Inauguration?
If there’s one thing Trump truly obsesses over, it’s crowd sizes. Remember how he spent his first days in office ranting about how his inauguration crowd was the biggest ever? He’s likely aiming for a grander spectacle this time around, but a government shutdown could throw a wrench into those plans.
In 2017, just over a month before his first inauguration, Trump’s transition team was scrambling to get up to speed. Now, they’re already behind the curve again, reportedly hampered by their reliance on private emails, refusal of federal cybersecurity support, and insistence on operating out of Mar-a-Lago instead of Washington. If the government shuts down, furloughs could halt the work of federal employees assisting his team, adding another layer of dysfunction to an already chaotic process.
Experts warn this could leave the U.S. government more vulnerable than ever, especially during a transition period. But Trump doesn’t seem to care about the thousands of government workers who’d miss paychecks during the holiday season or the ripple effects of a shutdown on ordinary Americans. His focus? Optics. If there’s even a hint that his beloved inauguration crowd might be impacted, that’s probably the only thing that could convince him to help resolve the crisis he’s helped create.