As trump heads towards the middle of his fourth month as President of the United States, there are many mixed reviews of the job he's done this far. From the public humiliation of his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, to the supposed tension between two of his right-hand men, to his highly controversial decision to fire missiles on Syria, there's a lot of speculation as to whether the Trump administration is fit to handle the job it so eagerly assumed. One of the biggest questions, however, regarding our billionaire president, has nothing to do with his politics or his decision-making skills.
It's much simpler: Why Did Donald Trump run for president in the first place?
A 2011 White House Dinner may have inspired the billionaire to run
According to The New York Times, the answer may surprise you. Sources say when Trump took his place at that now infamous White House Dinner in 2011- where he endured lash after lash of public humiliation from almost everyone (including then-President Obama)- it was all he could do to grin and bear it. An accomplished businessman and hands-down one of the largest real-estate moguls this side of the Atlantic, it would have been understandably difficult for the 70-year-old to accept so many potent insults without rebuttal - and many say while he seemed OK on the outside, he was reeling on the inside.
In fact, The New York Times stated that as soon as the dinner was over, Trump left "with maximum efficiency" - a far cry from the jovial and generous attitude he displayed when he entered.
Instead of scaring him away, the dinner might have given Trump a desire for validation
Many assumed that would be the last they'd hear from Donald Trump.
He would return to one of his many lavish abodes, perhaps shoot another season of "Celebrity Apprentice," and resort to enjoying the comforts of his billionaire lifestyle. However, reports state that that dinner actually did the exact opposite to the man who'd accomplished so much - it gave him an insatiable desire for validation.
The business tycoon wanted to be taken seriously- and he resolved that he would be.
Even though they accepted his support, politicians never took Trump seriously as a potential candidate
The New York Times suggests that while both the Democratic and Republican parties had smiled in Trump's face while accepting his rather generous endorsements in the past (sources indicate he's given almost $585,000 to Democrats and $961,000 to Republicans), they had never seriously considered him as a significant contender for any sort of political office. This is why his actual bid to become president took so many by surprise- and they decided they'd indulge his decision to run just long enough to "make him go away." But, that same desire for acceptance and validation that inspired him to run, coupled with the fact that funds were of little concern to him, meant the Republican-ish candidate would continue to pursue the presidency long after the novelty of the idea had worn off- even if others didn't agree.
In fact, the New York Times reports that in a quick interview a few months before the election, Trump confirmed this validation was indeed the reason behind his presidential bid: "I realized that unless I actually ran," Mr. Trump said, "I wouldn't be taken seriously."
Trump's unusual motive for running meant attempts to stop his campaign weren't effective
Because Trump's basis for running allegedly had little to do with actual social situations or a drive to really make America great again, at least initially, analysts suggest that typical signs that may have persuaded many others to give up the campaign early on (several of his fellow party members didn't even endorse him) left this particular presidential hopeful relatively unfazed.
When striving for something others say an individual won't be able to do, more negative reinforcement does nothing but strengthen that person's resolve, these analysts claim. Being the businessman that he is, Trump was able to combine that resolve with a platform many could get behind, and he now sits as America's 45th president.
As he strives to better the country like so many before him have also aimed to do, his fellow Americans will wait with bated breath- hoping that same resolve that won him the presidency will mean a brighter future for all.
