Trump buoyant as big business and former foes fall in line

Donald Trump is feeling quite optimistic as he prepares for his second term as president. Recently, he made an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate being named Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year. ' During his first press conference since winning the election in November, Trump expressed his satisfaction with the support he is receiving. He stated, 'The first term everybody was fighting me. This term everybody wants to be my friend. ' This statement, while perhaps a bit exaggerated, highlights the significant shift in the political landscape since his first term began. In the weeks leading up to his inauguration, many of Trump's former critics and adversaries have begun to reach out to him. Notable figures such as Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, and Sam Altman of OpenAI have all pledged substantial donations to support Trump's inauguration festivities. Additionally, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. This is particularly noteworthy considering that during his first term, Trump sought to ban TikTok, labeling it a national security threat. Now, he is opposing a current effort by the Biden administration to ban the platform, possibly because he believes it could benefit Facebook, which he has accused of contributing to his loss in the 2020 election. The ban is set to take effect before Trump is officially sworn in again. Other influential individuals have also made the journey to Florida or are planning to do so. Just before Thanksgiving, Zuckerberg, who had previously banned Trump from Facebook, dined with him at his private club in Florida. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, has also expressed his intention to meet with Trump. When Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to mark his announcement as Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year,' many senior executives from major U. S. corporations were present to show their support. Marc Benioff, the head of Salesforce and owner of Time, tweeted, 'This marks a time of great promise for our nation. ' He expressed eagerness to collaborate with Trump to promote American success and prosperity. This shift in attitude is not limited to the corporate world; the media landscape is also experiencing changes. MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month, indicating a willingness to engage with him rather than solely criticize him. Brzezinski remarked, 'It's time to do something different, and that starts with not only talking about Donald Trump, but talking with him. ' Furthermore, ABC News, owned by Disney, recently announced that it would pay Trump $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit related to comments made by morning news presenter George Stephanopoulos. This is significant because other news organizations have successfully defended against Trump's lawsuits in the past. However, with Trump returning to power, ABC and Disney may have decided that a lengthy legal battle was not worth the risk. In Washington, D. C. , a similar trend is emerging. Senate Republicans, who were once hesitant to confirm some of Trump's more controversial political appointees, are now falling in line as they face increasing pressure from Trump and his supporters. Even some Democrats are reaching out to the incoming Trump administration. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has indicated that he would consider supporting Trump's pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, and has expressed support for other Trump nominees. Other critics of Trump in Congress are taking a more pragmatic approach. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont suggested he would be open to supporting vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Trump's health secretary, citing shared concerns about the health impacts of processed food. This is a stark contrast to eight years ago when Democrats were vowing to resist Trump at every turn. Following his inauguration, millions protested against him, and his political opponents fought hard to block his initiatives, including attempts to repeal healthcare reforms and build a border wall. After Trump's presidency ended in controversy and chaos, many corporations, including American Express, Microsoft, Nike, and Walgreens, severed ties with him and Republicans who challenged the 2020 election results. This time, however, signs of resistance are less apparent. Mitch McConnell, the Republican senator who previously criticized Trump, has been issuing warnings about the dangers of an 'America First' foreign policy. However, McConnell has stepped down from his leadership position and is unlikely to seek re-election in 2026, which means Trump and his supporters have little to fear from him. Meanwhile, more than a dozen congressional Democrats have announced they will skip Trump's inauguration ceremony on January 20. Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett stated, 'I don't think that this is a time for celebration. ' While some Democrats may choose to stay away, the atmosphere of celebration among Trump and his supporters is palpable. Trump appears to be aware of this support. However, once he takes office and begins to implement his agenda, which includes mass deportations and trade tariffs, opposition may arise from both Democrats seeking political opportunities and businesses that could be negatively impacted. This could lead to the same kind of contentious battles that characterized Trump's first term.