Why Americans Are Embracing Trump’s Fiery Patriotism

President Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday evening served as both a declaration of his aims for a second term and a remarkable display of political theater.

And how profound an impact a performance can have.

“America is back,” the leading figure proclaimed, reiterating it throughout the following 90 minutes.

Trump is determined to “revive the noble cause of American liberty,” ignite a new era of “American marvels,” and even plant the Stars and Stripes on Mars.

To infinity and beyond: Trump’s uplifting enthusiasm feels galaxies away from the muddled speech and hesitations of a weary Joe Biden, or the nonsensical reprimanding and forced laughter of Kamala Harris.

In some dismal alternate universe, it was President Harris, not President Trump, who took center stage on Tuesday night.

However, the true highlights of the speech were those observed in the balcony.

The mother and sister of Laken Riley, a nursing student who tragically lost her life to an illegal immigrant while out for a jog.

The widow and daughters of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who died while shielding them from gunfire at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old girl who has faced “deep fake” cyberbullying in school.

Stephanie Diller, who lost her husband, police officer Jonathan, in a traffic stop shooting in Queens by a repeat criminal.

“The strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must,” Thucydides once remarked.

The Democrats acted as they wished.

And the suffering fell not just on the vulnerable, such as women and children.

It also afflicted the strong, like Jonathan Diller.

And Roberto Ortiz, the Navy veteran who faces gunfire from cartels while on patrol duty along the Rio Grande.

The Democrats have exploited the trust of the American people.

Trump aims to restore the social contract.

The Democrats remain so disconnected that they are unable to grasp why Trump is pursuing this.

The answer, while seemingly straightforward, is multifaceted.

Trump is a patriot. He is devoted to his country. He desires happiness for Americans.

These ideas are straightforward, perhaps too simplistic for college professors and CNN commentators to grasp.

But they run deep.

At its core, patriotism is an emotional bond, a type of passion that bureaucrats dread and dictators cherish.

The Democrats have stifled, censored, and shamed this inherent passion.

Trump recognizes that a nation functions like a large family.

We succeed or fail together.

It’s no surprise that in the weeks following his inauguration, Rasmussen’s pollsters indicated that for the first time in two decades, more Americans believed the country was “on the right track.”

This measurement is the one that truly counts.

It transcends party loyalty, despite what the political factions claim.

It pertains to the future of the nation.

As George Orwell expressed, “My country, right or left.”

A government is merely a bureaucratic apparatus. A “society” is an abstract sociological concept.

Fireworks and aerial displays are entertaining but merely serve as symbols.

A nation is built from people.

The American nation comprises over a third of a billion individuals, each pursuing their own interests, yet fundamentally — and significantly — in this endeavor together.

We must not shy away from these clear and essential truths.

They represent the wisdom of ages.

They are the foundational beliefs of constitutions and nations.

They link the essence of our affiliations, family, and faith to the broader obligations and responsibilities that unite a nation.

To witness the consequences of ideology overpowering these realities, consider the calamity in England.

Mass immigration and cultural sensitivity have fracturized the bond between rulers and those they govern.

A January YouGov poll revealed that 38% of Brits under 40 would decline to enlist in the event of a world war.

The Democrats have imposed a similar madness on the American populace: a disavowal of fundamental truths.

Trump reiterates these simple truths:

The world can be a harsh place.

A nation cannot endure without borders.

A country will disintegrate if illegal immigration persists.

A democracy cannot adequately serve its citizens if non-citizens are allowed to vote and the judiciary is compromised.

A man cannot become a woman.

Address these foundational issues, and the American people will handle the rest.

Trump called for “a nation of doers, dreamers, fighters, survivors” to embrace the future.

There exists a nation to rebuild, a world to mend, and time is of the essence.

Dominic Green is a contributor to the Wall Street Journal and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. You can find him on Twitter @drdominicgreen.