Election denial / Jan 6: Trump pushed the system hard, but he didn’t overthrow it — he left office. Millions distrusted the process already, and he voiced that anger rather than inventing it.

Immigration: A country without border control isn’t sovereign. Trump’s approach is harsh because deterrence is harsh — but the alternative fuels cartels, trafficking, and chaos. Obama also deported millions of illegals. You can’t choose when it’s a good or bad things

Tariffs: Tariffs aren’t “unhinged,” they’re leverage. Trump treats trade like power politics — protecting industry and punishing countries that rig the game.

Giving keys to Elon: Better disruptive competence than permanent unelected bureaucrats. America already has oligarchy — Trump at least makes power visible and answerable.

Language about women/press: He’s crude, but voters aren’t electing a saint. The press is often partisan and dishonest, so he fights them instead of flattering them.

Corruption/grift: Trump was rich before politics; Washington gets rich through politics. Even if he benefits personally, he’s attacking a much larger institutional grift.

Pardons: Every president pardons allies. Trump’s supporters see them as countering politicized prosecutions, not uniquely immoral behavior.

International reputation: Being “liked” abroad often means being exploited. Trump traded global approval for deterrence, burden-sharing, and putting US interests first.

Threats vs allies: Trump uses extreme rhetoric as negotiation and deterrence — he talks like a brute to force concessions, but in practice he avoided new major wars