ONE: Incite a culture war. We’ve all heard what Donald Trump has had to say on Black Lives Matter, some of it controversial, but it’s an indisputable fact that not every American citizen agrees with either the message or the execution of the movement. What this means is that there are two sides of the issue with millions of potential voters on each side. I believe he should pick a side and win those people over. This doesn’t have to be by hating on the ‘other’ side but instead indicating that there are two paths for the country to go down. He should try to sell his side as best as he can. He has already said that the violence is unacceptable regardless of the outcome and going down this route, Trump can paint himself as the ‘good guy’ who doesn’t support “trashing businesses”. If Trump can land verbal punches on Biden as he did to Hillary Clinton, then some voters may well have their eyes opened to how sleepy Joe Biden can be.
TWO: Debate Joe Biden. No matter how well-meaning Joe Biden is to some people, his best public speaking years are behind him. There are countless clips of Biden rambling incoherently on a stage and in a debate on national television, these mishaps and bouts will be magnified. If Trump can land verbal punches on Biden as he did to Hillary Clinton, then some voters may well have their eyes opened to how ‘sleepy’ Joe Biden can be.
THREE: Use Coronavirus. This pandemic has had a significant impact on the economy and society as a whole, and Donald Trump can use this to his advantage to mask what the Democrats are calling a “lack of progress” over the past four years. Trump can say that prior to Coronavirus, he had the economy in a very healthy condition and that strong conservative economics can revitalise the economy again. Additionally, he has the ability to use testing figures and equipment statistics to his advantage, allowing people to see what he has done during the pandemic. The USA also has the unique advantage of using statistics like population per x, meaning that because of the vast open space in the USA, statistics can sometimes seem unrealistic until you think of the parameters used. I’m not saying Trump should intentionally mislead people, but it is a well-known fact that those in power will always spin things in their favour, and Trump should do no different when it comes to Coronavirus.
FOUR: Keep the anti-establishment sentiment. In 2016 it was the election between career politician Hillary Clinton and political fish Donald Trump, but now he has had four years in office it is vital he keeps this anti-establishment line. One major reason for this is that it is a well-known fact that people do not trust politicians and thus do not like them; Trump should keep the same narrative as 2016. If he does this, people could look past the politician-style deception and see a patriot who truly wants the best for his country.
FIVE: No going back. Already in the build-up to this election, Donald Trump had made some bold claims and accusations, and he shouldn’t turn back on what he has said. One such thing is deriding mail-in voting by claiming that it is open to fraud. Claims like these can get lots of voters concerned and, based on what Trump is inferring; it stands to benefit the Democrats. This could make people think twice about them or ensure that people who may not usually vote head to the ballot box in November. U-turns are dangerous in the run-up to an election could be costly, seeming like an authoritative figure who is assertive may not be the worst thing, especially when you can paint your political opponent as literally and figuratively bending the knee.
In short, Trump can certainly win the 2020 US Presidential Election but polling suggests it is an uphill battle. If he can do these things however, he does stand a good chance of once again upsetting the odds.