Trump: bold, blustering, and untethered to logistics, diplomacy, or truth
By Citizen Ben
Related PODCAST: Trump’s Economy
“We’re making deals like you wouldn’t believe. Ninety of them. One every day. That’s how you win.”
— Donald J. Trump, April 2, 2025
Donald Trump’s claim that his administration would deliver “90 trade deals in 90 days” sounded like classic Trump: bold, blustering, and untethered to logistics, diplomacy, or truth. Now, with only two signed trade agreements in over 120 days, that declaration has joined a growing graveyard of broken promises, this time during his second term.
But this isn’t new. It’s a familiar pattern for Trump: make a grand claim, offer no details, set an arbitrary deadline, and when it fails, blame someone else. Trump’s political career thrives on the fantasy of success, not its delivery.
Donald Trump promised the United States would strike “90 trade deals in 90 days” to avoid sweeping tariffs under his newly revived “America First” doctrine. It was the kind of bold, headline-grabbing statement that defines Trumpism: quick, absolute, and devoid of actual planning. Now past Day 119.
But this isn’t just about missed deadlines. It’s about a decade-long pattern of false promises, lies, and theatrical manipulation. The “90 Deals” pledge joins a long list of Trump’s grand illusions, bold pronouncements with no substance, crafted to stir emotion and control the narrative.
Let’s take a look at that pattern:
Promises That Never Were
The Wall (and Mexico Paying for It)
Trump’s flagship promise from 2016. We were told Mexico would pay for a “big, beautiful wall.” Instead, U.S. taxpayers footed the bill for approximately $15 billion, with large stretches of the project merely replacing existing barriers. Mexico? They didn’t pay a dime.
“COVID Will Disappear”
In early 2020, Trump said COVID-19 would “just disappear like a miracle.” Instead, it claimed over a million American lives, and his administration downplayed science, mocked masks, and undermined public health. Fact: In June 2025
Obama’s “Fake Birth Certificate”
For years, Trump led the racist “birther” movement, falsely claiming Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. and promising to expose the truth. When Obama released his long-form birth certificate in 2011, proving he was born in Hawaii, Trump quietly dropped the subject, never offering an apology or admitting he was wrong. Instead, he pivoted to another fantasy, claiming he deserved credit for “forcing Obama to show it.”
The Secret Healthcare Plan
Throughout his presidency, Trump promised a comprehensive healthcare plan “coming in two weeks.” After years of repetition, the plan never appeared. The only genuine attempt was the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, with no replacement.
Bring Jobs Back from China
In his first term, Trump claimed he’d bring back American manufacturing. While some short-term reshoring happened due to tariffs, most companies relocated to other low-wage countries, not the U.S. The trade war hurt U.S. farmers and exporters more than it helped domestic manufacturing.
Student Loan Forgiveness?
He flirted with debt relief promises to appeal to younger voters but delivered no meaningful policy, blaming Democrats for delays and inflation concerns. Biden’s partial forgiveness outpaced Trump’s empty talk.
Total Victory Over ISIS
He declared total victory over ISIS in 2019—only for intelligence reports to show that sleeper cells remained active and violence persisted in parts of Syria and Iraq. The announcement was more PR stunt than security milestone.
“Lock Her Up” and Clinton Prosecutions
During the 2016 campaign, Trump led chants of “lock her up” regarding Hillary Clinton’s emails. But after winning, his administration refused to prosecute her. It had served its political purpose; truth was irrelevant.
Cognitive Test as Proof of Genius
Trump repeatedly touted passing a cognitive test as proof of superior intellect. In reality, the test was a basic dementia screening. Remembering five words in a row: “Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.” became a national punchline.
The Strategy: Hype, Lie, Distract, Repeat
These aren’t isolated failures. They’re a governing strategy rooted in showmanship over substance.
Trump relies on bombastic rhetoric, presenting vague and exaggerated claims with emotional appeal, often backed by falsehoods and conspiracy theories. The goal isn’t to deliver results. The goal is to create loyalty, control headlines, and divert criticism.
When his promises collapse:
- Deadlines are pushed (like the 90 days now becoming 120+).
- Enemies are blamed (Democrats, RINOs, “the deep state,” even allies).
- The subject changes to the next manufactured crisis or “win.”
The media cycle, always hungry for spectacle, often enables this tactic, treating Trump’s falsehoods as entertainment rather than existential threats to democratic norms.
Second Term, Same Scam
Trump’s return to power in 2025 has accelerated the rhetoric-reality gap. Here are some recent examples of promises made and swiftly broken or distorted in his second term:
The “Massive Deportation Wave” That Stalled
Trump promised on Day One to deport “millions” of undocumented immigrants “immediately.” But the logistics, legality, and political backlash stalled the effort. Instead, ICE launched masked “urban raids” targeting low-level offenders, sparking lawsuits and protests. Meanwhile, many so-called deportation orders remain pending, stuck in court, or quietly paused for political optics.
Veterans’ Healthcare “Overhaul”
Trump promised a “total transformation” of veterans’ healthcare, saying vets would be able to go “anywhere” and have the government pay. But what emerged was a confusing patchwork of private partnerships that overburdened VA clinics and made access more complex, not less. Veterans’ groups have criticized it as a “PR stunt with no backbone.”
“Ending the Endless Wars” – Again
Trump declared a total pullout from Africa and the Middle East, claiming “peace through strength.” In reality, secretive drone operations have increased, and multiple reports indicate U.S. troops remain in undisclosed roles in places like Syria, Niger, and Somalia. The wars didn’t end; they just became invisible.
“Biggest Stock Market Boom Ever”
Trump bragged in March 2025 that under his economic revival plan, we’d see “the biggest bull market in American history.” Weeks later, the markets plunged on fears of his tariff plans and Federal Reserve chaos, and the Dow saw its worst quarter since 2020.
“Freedom Schools” Plan
He unveiled a sweeping national plan to defund “woke schools” and replace them with “patriot education zones.” To date, no national framework exists, and the few pilot schools that opened are struggling with enrollment, accreditation, and lawsuits over forced prayer and censorship.
“I’ll Protect All Americans, Even the LGBTQ”
In a Fox News town hall in early 2025, Trump claimed he “loved everyone, even if I don’t agree with them,” and that he’d protect LGBTQ rights. A month later, his administration cut funding for LGBTQ mental health programs, blocked protections for trans youth in schools, and tried to redefine Title IX to exclude gender identity.
The “Clean Energy Renaissance” That Never Came
To deflect from climate criticism, Trump promised an “America First Clean Energy Boom” using nuclear, natural gas, and “clean coal.” In reality, the Department of Energy has seen massive staff cuts, and the few initiatives launched were quietly shelved or handed over to fossil fuel executives.
Trump’s Strategy: Say Everything, Deliver Nothing
The “90 deals in 90 days” lie is just the latest entry in a now-familiar Trump playbook:
- Make the promise outrageous enough to grab headlines.
- Claim you’re being sabotaged if it fails.
- Distract with a new outrage.
- Gaslight the public into believing it happened anyway.
Whether it’s trade, war, immigration, or education, Trump’s second term is increasingly governed not by results, but by rhetoric weaponized to manipulate and overwhelm.
The Cost of This Circus
While Trump’s base may shrug off these failures as “just Trump being Trump,” the consequences are very real:
- Families deported mid-application for asylum.
- Veterans are confused and denied care due to broken VA reforms.
- LGBTQ youth left without crisis support as 988 program cuts take effect.
- Markets destabilized by unserious trade threats.
- Journalists and whistleblowers are silenced or exiled under vague national security claims.
This is more than broken promises. It’s an intentional governance model based on spectacle and erosion of facts, institutions, and rights.
What You Can Do
- Track promises vs. results. Don’t let the spin rewrite history.
- Support independent media, legal watchdogs, and advocacy groups.
- Refuse to be distracted. Every outrageous quote is often a cover for deeper failures.
- Engage locally and nationally to resist authoritarian creep.
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Citizen Ben | citizenben.substack.com
Truth. Accountability. No BS.
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