Ten years ago, on June 16, 2015, internationally famous reality TV  star and real estate mogul Donald Trump officially declared his candidacy for President of the United States.

Along with his wife Melania, he descended the “golden escalator” to the lobby of Trump Tower. He delivered an announcement speech that shocked the political world, starting the most remarkable presidential campaign in history.

Trump’s comments set the political world on fire. He was immediately rebuked for his supposedly “racist” comments about Mexico. Trump said, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best…They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

Within two weeks of his announcement, NBC ended their “business relationship” with Trump on his hit show, The Apprentice, as well as the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. NBC claimed the decision was due to Trump’s “derogatory statements…regarding immigrants.”

Joining NBC in condemning Trump were the entire mainstream media and the Republican Party establishment. Trump’s opponent in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, former Texas Governor Rick Perry, called him a “cancer on conservativism” and a “barking carnival act.”

Despite the criticism, Trump, the carnival barker, and political neophyte, was able to take the lead in the crowded field of Republican presidential candidates within weeks of entering the race. A July 2015 CNN poll showed Trump in the lead with 18% support, while 52% of Republican voters wanted him to remain in the race, despite the withering criticism.

Trump succeeded because Republican voters, by 2015, were tired of the never-ending wars. They were also tired of the neocon wing of the GOP, represented by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Due to his family’s presidential pedigree, Bush was considered the overwhelming favorite for the 2016 Republican Party nomination. Fortunately, Trump easily dispatched Bush and famously labeled him “Low Energy Jeb.”

While Bush was the candidate of the past, Trump offered a new direction for America by stressing the need to strengthen border security, restore once-booming factories, revamp trade deals with China and rebuild our military.

In his announcement speech, Trump vowed to “bring back our jobs…bring back our manufacturing…bring back our military…take care of our vets.” He said that he would “take the brand of the United States and make it great again.”

In his first presidential term, Trump accomplished all these goals; however, after four years of the disastrous Biden administration, Trump faced a declining America at the start of his second term.

Trump responded quickly by signing a dizzying number of executive orders and implementing bold, new policy initiatives throughout the federal government. From his border policies to his reciprocal tariffs to his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Trump has been working tirelessly on behalf of the American people.

In less than five months, the results have been amazing. The border is now secure and criminal illegal aliens are being removed from the country. The economy has strongly recovered from Biden’s policies as inflation is extremely low and the trade deficit has sharply declined. Furthermore, military recruitment is soaring and the U.S. Army’s spectacular 250th Anniversary celebration will motivate more Americans to enlist in the armed services.

In the next few weeks, Congress will pass Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” and renew his tax cuts. The legislation also contains enhanced funding for border security and the military, so additional spending cuts are a priority.

A national debt that is approaching $37 trillion must be addressed. Consequently, the U.S. House of Representatives passing a recission package of $9.4 billion in cuts was a good first step, hopefully, followed by more significant spending reductions.

All this progress is moving America toward a “Golden Age” according to President Trump.

Not surprisingly, significant threats to the agenda loom large, especially judicial overreach, which is threatening every Trump policy. Additionally, a radical leftwing is mobilizing agitators, as witnessed first in Los Angeles, and, on Saturday, throughout the country at the “No Kings” rallies.

These protests and the stunning successes are due to Trump’s decision to descend the “golden escalator” in 2015 and enter the world of politics. Thereafter, he was subjected to a multitude of attacks that is unprecedented in American history.

Along with constant insults from his political opponents, boycotts of his businesses, two phony impeachments, a special counsel investigation into fictitious “Russian collusion” charges, FBI surveillance and a raid of his home, a mug shot, a sham congressional investigation into the January 6th protests, four partisan criminal investigations, outrageous civil cases, a biased conviction in a kangaroo court, and two assassination attempts, Trump has withstood consistently biased media coverage.

In the first one hundred days of his second term, Trump received 92% negative coverage by the three major broadcast networks. This is typical of the media coverage he has received since he descended the “golden escalator.”

Despite non-stop hateful treatment, President Trump received a 53% approval rating from the American people in the latest Rasmussen poll. Obviously, the American people admire a tenacious President who rises from being shot to yell “Fight, Fight, Fight.”

Another positive attribute for President Trump is his consistency. In contrast to most politicians who constantly change their positions, Trump’s message today is remarkably similar to the themes outlined in his 2015 presidential campaign announcement.

In his first speech as a presidential candidate, Trump said America “was tired of being ripped off by everybody in the world” and “tired of spending more money on education than any nation in the world per capita.”

Trump made promises that he fulfilled, such as to “build a great wall” on the Mexican border and “Nobody would be tougher on ISIS.” He also vowed to “stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons,” and to “Renegotiate our foreign trade deals.”

Most importantly, in 2015, Trump promised he would “Make America Great Again.” Yes, we are on our way, thanks to President Trump.

Jeff Crouere is a native New Orleanian and his award-winning program, “Ringside Politics,” airs Saturdays from Noon until 1 p.m. CT nationally on Real America’s Voice TV Network & AmericasVoice.News and weekdays from 7-9 a.m. & 6-7 p.m. CT on WGSO 990-AM & Wgso.com. He is a political columnist, the author of America’s Last Chance, and provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and on Crouere.net. For more information, email him at jcrouere@gmail.com