Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America by Donald J. Trump

In Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America by Donald J. Trump, the author outlines his populist, America-first blueprint to restore the nation’s economic, military, and global dominance. Trump argues that incompetent career politicians and terrible trade deals have crippled the United States, proposing that ruthless business negotiation and free-market principles are the only ways to fix the government. This book matters today as it serves as the foundational manifesto for Trump’s political movement, offering actionable insights into his governance philosophy.

Who May Benefit

• Voters and citizens seeking to understand the core policies of Trump’s political platform.
• Business professionals interested in applying private-sector negotiation tactics to large-scale leadership.
• Conservatives looking for strict arguments on immigration, tax reform, and the Second Amendment.
• Readers analyzing the intersection of media bias, populism, and modern American politics.

Top 3 Key Insights

1. America requires tough, business-minded leadership to replace incompetent career politicians.
2. True national sovereignty depends entirely on securing borders and halting illegal immigration.
3. Global peace and respect demand an overwhelmingly powerful military and aggressive economic negotiations.

4 More Takeaways

1. The political media prioritizes ratings and manufactured controversy over the truth.
2. Healthcare and education must rely on free-market competition and local control.
3. The U.S. tax code must be radically simplified to relieve the middle class.
4. Rebuilding America’s infrastructure is the fastest way to generate millions of jobs.

Book in 1 Sentence Donald Trump presents his populist manifesto, diagnosing America’s political failures and offering business-minded, tough-negotiation solutions to restore the country’s wealth, security, and global greatness.

Book in 1 Minute Great Again serves as Donald Trump’s comprehensive manifesto for his 2016 presidential run. He argues that the United States has been deeply weakened by incompetent career politicians, terrible trade agreements, and a complete lack of border security. The book details his plans to fix these issues by applying ruthless business sense to government. His primary solutions include building an impenetrable southern border wall, repealing Obamacare in favor of free-market insurance competition, aggressively rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure to create millions of jobs, and drastically simplifying the tax code. Trump asserts that by operating from a position of undeniable military and economic strength, the U.S. can command global respect, defeat terrorism, and achieve immense domestic prosperity.

1 Unique Aspect The book uniquely frames national governance as a massive corporate turnaround project. Trump argues that the exact same ruthless negotiation tactics and budget management used in high-stakes real estate development are required to fix America’s international relations and domestic policies.

Chapter-wise Summary

1. Winning Again “AMERICA NEEDS TO START winning again.” Trump emphasizes that the U.S. has lost its winning edge, citing terrible international agreements like the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration. He argues that career politicians are all talk and no action, failing to pass basic budgets while driving the nation into massive debt. Trump positions himself as a successful outsider who can use his business acumen to turn the country around. He insists that Americans must stop settling for the status quo and demand a government that knows how to win. Chapter Key Points:

• Demand winning leadership.
• Reject terrible treaties.
• Businessmen over politicians.

2. Our “Unbiased” Political Media “For a long time I’ve been the man the media loves to hate.” Trump attacks the political media for being inherently dishonest and prioritizing ratings and “gotcha” journalism over truthful reporting. He discusses how networks experienced record-breaking viewership during the debates largely because of his unscripted candor. While he respects some financial journalists, he argues that political reporters purposely distort statements to generate controversy. Trump explains that he understands how to leverage this media bias to bypass filters and speak directly to the American people. Chapter Key Points:

• Media prioritizes ratings.
• Use controversy advantageously.
• Speak directly to people.

3. Immigration: Good Walls Make Good Neighbors “A country that doesn’t control its borders can’t survive…” Trump outlines his firm stance on illegal immigration, arguing that foreign governments use the porous U.S. border to dump their worst citizens, burdening the American justice system. His primary solution is to build a massive, impenetrable wall across the southern border, which he insists Mexico will pay for through various fees or tariffs. He also advocates for tripling immigration officers, ending funding for sanctuary cities, and curtailing birthright citizenship, which he views as a magnet for illegal entry. Chapter Key Points:

• Build a border wall.
• Mexico funds construction.
• End birthright citizenship.

4. Foreign Policy: Fighting for Peace “When you’re digging yourself deeper and deeper into a hole, stop digging.” Foreign policy must be rooted in absolute strength, starting with the most well-funded and powerful military on the planet. Trump criticizes the U.S. for protecting wealthy allies like Saudi Arabia and South Korea without demanding compensation. He argues for a ruthless approach to ISIS, advocating for the bombing of their oil fields to cut off their wealth. Furthermore, Trump strongly condemns the Obama administration’s Iran deal and highlights the need to confront China’s currency manipulation. Chapter Key Points:

• Peace through absolute strength.
• Allies must pay America.
• Destroy ISIS oil fields.

5. Education: A Failing Grade “There is one thing I know that even the professional politicians will support—education is good.” Despite spending more per capita than any other nation, the U.S. educational system ranks 26th globally, which Trump calls an unacceptable embarrassment. He strongly opposes top-down federal initiatives like Common Core, advocating instead to drastically reduce or eliminate the Department of Education and return control to local communities. Trump is a fierce proponent of school choice, arguing that forcing schools to compete for students will naturally improve quality or close failing institutions, despite opposition from powerful teachers’ unions. Chapter Key Points:

• Abolish Common Core.
• Promote school choice.
• Break teacher union monopolies.

6. The Energy Debate: A Lot of Hot Air “The oil is there for the taking; we just have to take it.” Trump rejects the notion that climate change is the greatest global threat, viewing green energy subsidies as expensive and inefficient. He argues that the U.S. possesses centuries’ worth of natural gas and oil reserves that must be aggressively developed to achieve true energy independence. He advocates for the approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline and the expansion of fracking, criticizing regulations that hinder job creation. He points to his fight against wind turbines in Scotland as proof of their economic folly. Chapter Key Points:

• Develop domestic fossil fuels.
• Green energy is inefficient.
• Approve Keystone XL pipeline.

7. Health Care Is Making Us All Sick “There’s no question. Obamacare is a catastrophe, and it has to be repealed and replaced.” Pointing to his real-world experience negotiating healthcare for his employees, Trump criticizes the Affordable Care Act for skyrocketing premiums, massive deductibles, and stifling paperwork. He demands that the government allow insurance companies to compete across state lines, breaking up state-level monopolies to drive down prices through free-market competition. While rejecting a single-payer system, he maintains that the U.S. must still find a way to provide a safety net for citizens who genuinely cannot afford basic medical care. Chapter Key Points:

• Repeal Obamacare immediately.
• Allow cross-state insurance.
• Maintain a safety net.

8. It’s Still the Economy, Stupid “I’ve never had the ‘security’ of being on the government payroll. I was the guy who made out the payroll.” Trump highlights his extensive background as a billionaire job creator, arguing that career politicians are completely unqualified to manage the economy. He promises to protect Social Security and Medicare, arguing that the national debt should instead be reduced by eliminating government waste and reforming the tax code. He expresses deep concern over the true unemployment rate and insists that the U.S. must combat corporate inversions and negotiate better trade deals to bring manufacturing jobs back from overseas. Chapter Key Points:

• Protect Social Security entirely.
• Bring manufacturing jobs home.
• Eliminate government waste.

9. Nice Guys Can Finish First “I’m a nice guy. I really am. But I have a nasty habit that most career politicians don’t have: I tell the truth.” Defending his aggressive rhetorical style, Trump explains that he relies on straightforward honesty and will always fight back fiercely when attacked. He recounts the disloyalty of corporate partners like Macy’s and Univision, who severed ties with him over his immigration comments, noting that the public overwhelmingly supported his stance. Trump details his conservative credentials, asserting his unwavering support for the Second Amendment, traditional values, and a strong military, distancing himself from the easily bought political establishment. Chapter Key Points:

• Tell the blunt truth.
• Fight back against critics.
• Uphold strict conservative values.

10. Lucky to Be an American “The day I was born I had already won the greatest lottery on Earth. I was born in the United States of America.” Trump expresses deep patriotism, recounting his successful legal battle to fly a massive American flag at his Mar-a-Lago estate despite local zoning fines. He emphasizes that the government’s absolute first duty is to its own citizens, not the interests of foreign nations. Transitioning to veterans’ affairs, he condemns the scandalous wait times at the VA and insists that veterans should be allowed to use private doctors at the government’s expense if the VA fails to provide timely care. Chapter Key Points:

• Put American citizens first.
• Overhaul the corrupt VA.
• Privatize delayed veteran care.

11. The Right to Bear Arms “The Second Amendment is clear to me… the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” As a gun owner with a concealed-carry permit, Trump staunchly defends the Second Amendment, arguing that an armed citizenry is essential for a free society. He proposes making concealed-carry permits valid across all 50 states, similar to driver’s licenses. Rather than banning certain types of firearms, he advocates for aggressively prosecuting violent criminals through programs like Project Exile and fixing the broken mental health system to keep guns away from dangerous individuals. Chapter Key Points:

• Defend the Second Amendment.
• National concealed-carry reciprocity.
• Fix mental health systems.

12. Our Infrastructure Is Crumbling “Our airports, bridges, water tunnels, power grids, rail systems—our nation’s entire infrastructure—is crumbling…” Trump paints a dire picture of America’s infrastructure, comparing domestic airports like LaGuardia to those in third-world countries. He argues that rebuilding the nation’s roads, bridges, and power grids is a massive economic opportunity that will stimulate growth and create millions of jobs. Leveraging his decades of experience executing massive real estate projects under budget, Trump asserts he is the only candidate qualified to oversee a trillion-dollar national rebuilding effort without falling victim to typical government waste. Chapter Key Points:

• Rebuild crumbling infrastructure.
• Create millions of jobs.
• Manage budgets like business.

13. Values “I’ve learned that wealth and happiness are two completely different things.” Trump reflects on the personal values instilled in him by his parents, particularly his father, Fred Trump, who taught him a fierce work ethic. He discusses his upbringing, his time at the New York Military Academy, and his deep Christian faith, heavily influenced by Reverend Norman Vincent Peale’s positive teachings. Trump laments the modern cultural shift away from religious traditions, such as the controversy over saying “Merry Christmas,” and highlights his long-standing commitment to promoting women to top executive roles in his company. Chapter Key Points:

• Work ethic brings success.
• Defend Christian traditions.
• Promote merit-based equality.

14. A New Game in Town “I do, however, think we need to bring some business acumen to the White House.” Trump calls for a complete overhaul of Washington’s gridlocked political culture by injecting proven business leadership into the executive branch. He stresses the importance of standing firmly behind the nation’s commitments to restore global credibility, arguing that adversaries must fear America and allies must trust it. To accomplish this, he plans to recruit top-tier private-sector executives into government roles, aiming to bypass bureaucratic “lifers” and enforce a culture of high performance and strict accountability. Chapter Key Points:

• Bring businessmen to Washington.
• Restore global American credibility.
• Demand bureaucratic accountability.

15. Teaching the Media Dollars and Sense “This is the sad and often pathetic state of our ‘objective’ media today.” Trump criticizes political pundits and journalists who wrongly predicted he would never run or file his financial disclosures. He takes pride in proving them wrong by officially revealing a net worth exceeding $10 billion. He details his immense success with The Apprentice and his bestselling books, illustrating how the media constantly underestimates him. Trump asserts that he leverages his massive wealth to self-fund his campaign, freeing him from the corrupting influence of special interest donors. Chapter Key Points:

• Media pundits are clueless.
• Net worth exceeds $10B.
• Self-funding ensures independence.

16. A Tax Code That Works “The one thing that everybody agrees about is that our tax system doesn’t work.” Proposing a massive overhaul of the 74,000-page tax code, Trump aims to simplify the system into four brackets (0%, 10%, 20%, 25%) and eliminate the income tax entirely for 75 million lower-income households. He plans to cut the corporate tax rate to 15% for businesses of all sizes to spur job creation and halt corporate inversions. Additionally, his plan incentivizes companies to repatriate trillions of dollars held overseas at a 10% rate, paying for these cuts by eliminating loopholes for the ultra-rich. Chapter Key Points:

• Simplify to four brackets.
• Eliminate lower-income taxes.
• 15% corporate tax rate.

17. Making America Great Again “We can take a crippled country and make it great again.” In his concluding chapter, Trump uses his 1974 renovation of the dilapidated Commodore Hotel into the Grand Hyatt as a metaphor for what he can do for the United States. He summarizes his platform: securing borders, rebuilding the military, defeating terrorism, repealing Obamacare, and overhauling trade deals to bring back American jobs. Trump promises that his leadership will break the gridlock of career politicians and lobbyists, ultimately restoring the American dream and making the nation globally dominant once again. Chapter Key Points:

• Turnarounds require grand vision.
• Break political gridlock entirely.
• Restore the American dream.

10 Notable Quotes

1. “When you’re digging yourself deeper and deeper into a hole, stop digging.”
2. “The side that needs the deal the most is the one that should walk away with the least.”
3. “A country that doesn’t control its borders can’t survive.”
4. “I’ve never had the ‘security’ of being on the government payroll. I was the guy who made out the payroll.”
5. “The day you need a permit to put up an American flag, that will be a very sad day for this country.”
6. “I’ve learned that wealth and happiness are two completely different things.”
7. “If you can accept losing, then you’ve already lost.”
8. “The United States military should be so strong that we will never have to use it.”
9. “We are unique among the nations of the world, and we should be leading, not following.”
10. “If you don’t begin with big dreams, you can never fulfill them.”

About the Author Donald J. Trump is an iconic American real estate developer, billionaire, television personality, and the 45th President of the United States. Beginning his career alongside his father, Fred Trump, in Brooklyn, he eventually conquered the Manhattan real estate market with landmarks like Trump Tower, the Grand Hyatt, and 40 Wall Street. His global empire includes luxury residential buildings, premier golf courses, and the Trump Hotel Collection. Beyond real estate, Trump authored The Art of the Deal, one of the bestselling business books in history, and hosted the massively successful reality show The Apprentice for 14 seasons. Operating as a populist outsider, he officially launched his campaign in 2015, promising to bring his ruthless business acumen to Washington to fix the country’s economy, military, and borders, culminating in his election as president.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Trump’s stance on illegal immigration? He believes it must stop immediately, proposing a border wall funded by Mexico and an end to birthright citizenship.
2. How does he plan to fix the economy? By cutting taxes, aggressively negotiating trade deals to bring manufacturing jobs home, and rebuilding infrastructure.
3. What is his approach to ISIS? He advocates for ruthless military force, specifically bombing their oil fields to eliminate their wealth.
4. How would Trump change the tax code? He proposes four simplified brackets, a 15% maximum corporate rate, and zero income tax for millions of lower-income earners.
5. What is his view on climate change? He rejects it as a massive threat, calling green energy subsidies wasteful and pushing for fossil fuel expansion.
6. How does he want to handle healthcare? By fully repealing Obamacare, lowering costs through cross-state insurance competition, and preserving a basic safety net.
7. What is his opinion on the Department of Education? He wants to eliminate or drastically reduce it, abolishing Common Core in favor of local school choice.
8. How does Trump view the media? He views political media as incredibly dishonest, prioritizing ratings and sensationalism over the truth.
9. Does Trump support gun control? No, he is a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, supporting national concealed-carry reciprocity and blaming mental health over guns.
10. How does he plan to help veterans? By overhauling the incompetent VA and allowing veterans to seek private medical care at the government’s expense.

Theories and Concepts

• Peace Through Strength: The concept that an overwhelmingly powerful military prevents conflicts because enemies fear severe retaliation.
• School Choice: The idea that introducing free-market competition into education (like charter schools) will force public schools to improve or face closure.
• Corporate Inversion: A tactic where American companies move their headquarters overseas to escape high U.S. tax rates, which Trump aims to prevent by lowering corporate taxes.

Books and Authors

• The Art of the Deal by Donald J. Trump: His wildly successful 1987 autobiography.
• The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale: A book by his former pastor that deeply influenced Trump’s optimistic and aggressive mindset.
• Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki: A financial book whose author famously collaborated with Trump.

Persons

• Barack Obama: The former U.S. President whom Trump criticizes heavily for weak foreign policy and the Affordable Care Act.
• Vladimir Putin: Russian President whom Trump notes has severely outmaneuvered American leadership in the Middle East.
• Fred Trump: Donald’s father, a successful Brooklyn real estate developer who instilled a fierce work ethic in him.
• Megyn Kelly: A Fox News journalist mentioned for her adversarial questioning of Trump during the first Republican debate.

How to Use This Book Use this book to understand the foundational policies, aggressive negotiation mindset, and populist appeal that propelled Donald Trump’s political rise. Apply its business-centric worldview to critically analyze government inefficiency, demand accountability from leaders, and prioritize pragmatic results over political correctness.

Conclusion Stop settling for the status quo and demand a government that puts American citizens first. By treating the nation’s problems like a massive business turnaround, America can rebuild its infrastructure, dominate the global economy, and secure its borders.