“Winning was easy, young man. Governing’s harder.” The line comes from a scene in the Broadway musical Hamilton where George Washington, the Revolutionary General turned Statesman and first President of the United States of America, is lecturing a young and ambitious Alexander Hamilton. The scene depicts a contentious cabinet meeting between Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, then Secretary of State, ending in a private sidebar with Washington. It’s a notable line because it demonstrates in the fewest of words the necessary transformation of leadership from a state of war and immediacy to governing and longevity. In the last 250 years, America has faced threats to its peace and sovereignty but has never been required to abandon its ultimatum of governance.

Political elections in the United States have increasingly been portrayed as an existential battle for liberty and freedom. The war-like language is successful in stoking fear, anxiety, and votes. The Trump campaign and MAGA movement have capitalized on this theme the most in the last decade, often choosing to invoke Revolutionary War language and imagery. For example, it’s not uncommon to see supporters of the MAGA movement prominently display flags, shirts, hats, and bumper stickers with “1776”, “Don’t Tread on Me”, or the Betsy Ross Flag, all of which find their origins in the Revolutionary period. Their battle cry is for restoring past ideals and a “fighting spirit” against existential threats. Unfortunately, this Neo-Revolutionary war story is tragically disconnected from reality—that is until it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

As we mark Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office for his second term as President, much has and will be said of this chaotic period. As Time Magazine writes, “The first 100 days of [Trump’s] second term have been among the most destabilizing in American history, a blitz of power grabs, strategic shifts, and direct attacks that have left opponents, global counterparts, and even many supporters stunned.”[1] However, like a 90-day review of a new employee, the long-term impact of an individual’s contribution (or lack thereof) to a company cannot be fully and fairly determined. Outcomes vary and measurable successes are not always immediate. Nevertheless, a quarter-year’s worth of work does provide sufficient data to make an accurate judgment about a person’s character and fit for the role they have been asked to fulfill.

With Trump’s approval rating plummeting[2,3] and a reactionary movement of organizing and protest growing across the country, America’s lesson in the revitalized era of Trump and MAGA may be this: populism consistently overpromises and under-delivers.

Populist and social movements help create awareness. They represent large coalitions of people and their frustrations and help deliver political victories for those who respond to the needs or cynicism of the movement. From the Tea Party to MAGA, or Occupy Wall Street to Bernie Sanders’ Fight Oligarchy, these are existential “wars” fought among citizens from inside a system of government. They are not revolutionary by nature—until they become so through insurrection, willful disobedience to constitutional order, radical dismantling of checks and balances, or civil war. Wars—real or perceived—are inefficient, violent, and inhumane ways to resolve conflict and differences with only one goal in mind: to win. For the generals, leaders, troops, and supporters caught up in wartime movements, they rarely ask an all-important question, “What happens after victory?” 

At 100 days, we do ourselves a favor by asking a similar question: “What has already happened after victory?”[4] While the full outcomes of a campaign promise to reform and dismantle the “woke deep state”, drive out “waste and corruption,” and “restore law and order”, populist movements are more interested in ideological superiority over practical and forward-thinking solutions. Populists may peddle a story of hope, but theirs is fleeting and fails to deliver. This is because lasting change comes through our collective voices and values, not victories on the battlefield of elections—or worse, the oppression of human rights and freedoms for others.

Character over rhetoric has always mattered. A new employee might interview well, but can they deliver? Conversely, a subpar interviewer with a less impressive resume might become your greatest asset or future organizational leader. An individual who empathizes with people, listens well, humbly understands the weight of their role, and stewards responsibility and the organization with integrity will often attract value and loyalty. They help create win-win solutions because they naturally cultivate peacemaking and collaborative outcomes.

Winning an election or ideological battle might have been easy, but governing is proving much harder—as it should be. The negligence and incompetency of populist leaders is—and will be—the result of their failure to embrace values that cultivate hope and sustainable change. Those values are grounded in pursuing holism, openness, progress, and equity for everyone, everywhere. We don’t need a powerful force, personality, or authoritarian leader to reshape or “fight for” our nation. We need a collective of diverse and divergent individuals with the humility, wisdom, and character that embody enduring values of hope.

It’s said that “pride comes before the fall.” A future contingent on the character of a single individual or administration is an untenable solution for our ever-evolving, complex world. This is a vital reminder for us as leaders of enduring hope and change.

[1] https://time.com/7280106/trump-interview-100-days-2025/ 

[2] https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/27/politics/approval-rating-trump-100-days/index.html

[3] https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-lowest-100-day-approval-rating-80-years/story?id=121165473 

[4] For a curated analysis, https://www.perplexity.ai/page/trump-s-first-100-days-analysi-pOiTieY.Q.qJ69auZ1TbqA 

Hope and Justice For All

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