2026/04/13 by George C. Edwards
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · #Economic Theory and Institutions
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/s1049096525101868
openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex publication_date 2026/04/13 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
ABSTRACT Donald Trump and his supporters claimed an historic mandate to provide critical legitimacy for the extraordinary changes the president initiated immediately after taking office. Did he actually receive such a mandate? The data show that he did not. His electoral victory was modest by historical standards, and the public did not view his election as a mandate for sweeping change and did not desire to accord the president additional power. Moreover, Trump did not campaign on many of the issues on which he took action, and the public opposed most of the president’s major changes in policy. These actions included drastically cutting or dismembering congressionally authorized agencies and programs, deporting most undocumented aliens, raising tariffs, and gutting foreign aid.