American Exceptionalism

It can be exceptionally ironic sometimes

He did it again: the greatest political comeback in U.S. history. Donald Trump returned, leaving behind an attempted insurrection and a nation teetering on recession, only to claim overwhelming victories in every battleground state—and, for the first time, a W in the popular vote.

It’s as much a victory for him as it is a powerful message to Democrats: do better—refine your messaging and priorities. Like Josh Barro wrote following the election, he didn’t deserve to win, but we deserved to lose.

In his inauguration speech, when he wasn’t resorting to his usual playbook of trashing the opposition or casting himself as our savior, Trump struck a powerful note on American exceptionalism: our ancestors braved untamed wilderness, split the atom, launched into the heavens, and put human knowledge in the palm of our hands. “If we work together,” he said, “there is nothing we cannot achieve.”

We really are a group of extraordinary citizens, living in—despite how it may seem at times—an exceptional country. It’s just exceptionally ironic that a man like Trump is delivering this message.

First, if you think a twice-impeached, draft-dodging, insurrection-inspiring, convicted felon is going to make us exceptional…then you need to wake up and smell the Folgers, my friend.

Second, the “golden age” that Trump proclaimed he will bring is already here. It’s just not being felt as much by the working class or young people. Scott Galloway hits the nail on the head in his Ted Talk:

If Trump really wants to be our champion, he should focus his policies on putting less tax and price burdens on the working class.

To achieve this without plunging the nation into recession, he must take a harder stance on the ultra-wealthy—himself included. It’s not just about ensuring they pay their fair share; it’s about creating opportunities that are accessible and abundant for everyone.

We are already in a golden age. Make it a golden age for all.

Some Stats

• Defense: In 2024, the U.S. budgeted $842 billion—more than the next 10 countries combined—to maintain the world’s most powerful military. Through strategic alliances, we’ve weakened adversaries like Russia and Iran without losing a single U.S. soldier. The recent fall of Syria’s Assad regime is a testament to this.

• Economy: With a GDP of $28.78 trillion, we are the world’s largest economy, contributing 26.5% of global output. The combined value of America’s top 7 companies—$17.6 trillion—exceeds the economies of Japan, Germany, and India combined.

• Energy: In 2024, we were the world’s largest liquid natural gas (LNG) exporter at 88.3 million tonnes. We’re also a global leader in crude oil production at 13.2 million barrels a day in 2024.

• Innovation: AI is arguably the most consequential technology of this decade. The two companies—U.S. companies—at the helm of this groundbreaking tech are OpenAI (holding nearly 70% of the LLM market) and NVIDIA (holding close to 95% of the AI chip market).

Golden Age?

So then why do some of us feel like we’re not in a golden age? Why does it feel like we’re so far behind? Why does it feel like the rest of the world is shaking their heads at us?

The way I see it, there are three possible reasons:

Hurt: People are hurting. Some are hurting real bad. For too many, the American Dream feels out of reach. Choosing between medication and food, or explaining to your family why your job was replaced by a machine or cheaper labor—these are the realities that fuel populist promises of “liberation” and quick fixes.

Social Media: Social media has connected the world, exposing us to what feels like the best—and worst—of humanity on a global scale. Sometimes, seeing snapshots of life in other countries makes it seem like we’re falling behind—or on the wrong side. But the truth is, there are no perfect nations or perfect people. Every country has its own challenges. Are there things others do better than us? Absolutely. But is the grass truly greener? Unlikely.

Values Forgotten: It feels like we’ve lost our values, our integrity, our character. Our leaders seem like they’re in a race to the bottom—denying election results, pardoning family members on their way out of office, personal attacks on each other and the citizens they’re supposed to represent. American politics are pretty ugly these days, and it leaves a bad taste in our mouths when we see our leaders carry themselves like this.

Being Exceptional

Our military, our economy, and our relentless passion for entrepreneurship and innovation are outstanding. The example of our power has never been greater. But the power of our example is growing weaker.

If we truly want to be exceptional, Trump—or any single leader—isn't going to get us there. We are.

We need to hold ourselves and our leaders accountable. We need to set the bar higher. We need to call each other out for being cruel or crazy.

I’m being critical of our new president, but I really do wish him the best. I mean that sincerely.

Dave Chappelle, a man I deeply admire, put it best, as he often does:

The presidency is no place for petty people. So Donald Trump…remember, whether people voted for you or not, they’re all counting on you. Whether they like you or not, they’re all counting on you. The whole world is counting on you. I mean this when I say this: Good luck. Please, do better next time. Please, all of us do better next time. Do not forget your humanity. And please have empathy for displaced people. Whether they’re in the Palisades or Palestine.

I believe we will do better—empathizing with our neighbors, both here and abroad. We will inspire greatness and achieve wonders. Together.

In Chinese, America translates to Meiguo (美国), meaning “beautiful country.” Even in China—our greatest and most formidable competitor—we are known as the “beautiful country.”

Let’s live up to that.