by Frankie DeFaria (staff writer)

On January 20, 2021, President Joe Biden was inaugurated and Donald Trump left the White House. While Trump may no longer be President of the United States, the power that he holds over citizens of America remains. 

Regardless of the loss that Trump sustained in the 2020 Presidential election, he still received the most votes of any incumbent president before him. Even after the repercussions of Trump’s actions over the past few years, almost 500,000 American deaths, as a result of COVID-19, increased hostility and violence towards the Asian American community, complacency in the face of racism, discrimination, and police brutality, and several other horrible “phenomenons”. Yet 4,222,958 Americans still voted for him. In the four years of his presidency, not only did Trump maintain the support of many of his voters, but he gained an additional 10 million supporters. There probably are Trump supporters who failed to or were not registered to vote, meaning there are about 75 million people living in America who unfailingly and blindly support Trump and his ideals. Trump may be out of office, but his beliefs still dwell in and out of the White House. 

Trump maintains his hold on several politicians in the Senate, House, Supreme Court, and other parts of the government. Of the current members of the Senate that served during Trump’s presidency, 51 voted in line with Trump over half the time. Of the current members of the House that served during Trump’s presidency, 199 voted in line with Trump over half the time. Additionally, just before the election, Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg passed away. Despite the popular petition to delay the induction of a ‘replacement,’ Trump nominated and inducted Amy Coney Barrett into the Supreme Court. Many of Barrett’s views aligned with Trump’s; yet another tie to Trump’s ideals preserved in the post-Trump government. 

There is no doubt that Trump is a master manipulator – that is the very reason why trumpism exists. A prime example of Trump’s influence on Americans can be seen from the terrorist attack on the Capitol on January 6. On the command of Trump, hundreds of Trump supporters infiltrated the Capitol building, breaking windows, waving the confederate flag, wearing anti-semitic shirts, not wearing masks, stealing the property of politicians, and destroying the building and its contents in attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election. As a result of the insurrection, one capitol policeman died and several others were injured. Additionally, upon watching, reading, and hearing news of these events, millions of Americans feared for their own future and the future of the country after seeing the lengths Trump’s supporters would go for him. 

Electing Trump out of office was just the first step; there are still plenty of politicians and millions of Americans that share his beliefs and support his cause. He is still out there spreading messages. His corrupted agenda still reigns free. The efforts to form a more perfect union and cure the country of the poison Trump spilled over his term are not over yet. 

Awareness must still be raised. 

Equity must still be established. 

Justice must still be acquired.