ArcaMax

SAN DIEGO -- My holiday wish for my fellow Americans is that we should all be so lucky in this life as to find someone who loves us as much as President Donald Trump loves Donald Trump.

I realize this is not breaking news. We've known for decades that the billionaire real estate developer and former reality TV star has an ego the size of Manhattan. President Trump doesn't need others to give him credit for his accomplishments because he'll give himself plenty of credit-- whether or not he has accomplished anything. When blowing his own horn, Trump never runs out of breath.

Still, it was bracing to see that level of self-reverence on display this week during the president's year-end address to the nation. While teased out by the White House as a list of policy priorities for 2026, it was nothing of the sort. Rather, it was a rapid recitation of Trump's greatest hits -- according to Trump.

At roughly 17 minutes, the remarks sounded like an abbreviated version of the State of the Union address. With a fast-paced cadence, Trump bragged about what he considers his accomplishments -- securing the U.S.-Mexico border, creating jobs for Americans, raising millions by imposing tariffs on foreign imports, etc. As for the problems that continue to plague us -- such as high prices and low consumer confidence -- that's all the fault of former President Joe Biden.

The public isn't buying it. According to a recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll, just 36% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy. That means nearly two-thirds of Americans give the president failing marks on the one subject that he is supposed to know best.

On social media, Trump supporters like to taunt liberal Democrats by reminding them that "elections have consequences."

So do deportations. Americans need to wake up. What did they expect would happen to America's productivity when the administration set out to deport record numbers of immigrants?

The Department of Homeland Security claims to have deported more than 600,000 people since Trump took office. It also says that another 1.6 million people have opted to "self-deport" to avoid detention in a removal system devoid of humanity or due process.

This will probably come as news to Trump, who obviously doesn't know as much about economics as we thought. But immigrants -- even undocumented ones -- keep the U.S. economy humming along. When Trump claims that he saved jobs for "hard-working and productive" native-born Americans, the punchline writes itself. If the native-born really were so hard-working and productive, the United States wouldn't be home to so many immigrants in the first place.

Nonetheless, while the president deserves failing marks on managing the economy, making the country more affordable and feeling the financial pain of everyday Americans, he gets an "A" in marketing and messaging. These things have always been Trump's strong suit.

As we close out the first year of his second non-consecutive term, Trump's superpower is clear as day. The narcissist is also a pretty good hypnotist. Recently, when people were talking about affordability, and when Trump realized that calling the issue a "hoax" wasn't calming the anxiety of consumers, he changed strategies. He tried to convince voters that Democrats had raised prices and that he was lowering them. That's the message to focus on, he said. "You're getting sleepy ... "

It was also a masterstroke for Trump to announce during his televised address from the White House that his administration would, just in time for Christmas, pay more than 1.4 million active duty members of the military a "warrior dividend" of $1,776 to commemorate the approaching 300th birthday of the United States.

Democrats should take notes. What they likely consider gimmicky and cheesy is actually brilliant. Trump isn't good at governing or keeping his promises. But he is skilled at understanding what resonates with everyday Americans. In the case of the warriors, it's not just the check. It's the fact that the check is for $1,776, and that it comes at a time of year when the men and women who serve this country need it most.

In Trump's world, traditional rules don't apply. He has his own. Here's one of the most important: In the end, it's not what you do that matters. All that counts is what you're able to convince others you did. As Trump knows, when reality battles perception, the latter wins every single time.

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To find out more about Ruben Navarrette and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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