Book SummaryThe Drift, by Kevin A. Hassett

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Drift

Trump's Efforts to Counter Socialism

Halting the Shift: Trump’s Unorthodox Approach to Governing

This section details Hassett's argument that President Trump governed in an unconventional way that sought to undo the “Drift,” a leftward shift in American politics and culture toward socialist ideals. The author states that Trump embraced a style that was disruptive and intentionally provocative. He surrounded himself with a group of adversaries who offered competing views. This approach often resulted in heated disagreements and high turnover among his staff. Critics viewed Trump’s style as disorganized and dangerous. Nevertheless, Trump used his combative approach to challenge the status quo and to achieve significant policy changes, often to the surprise of his critics.

Donald Trump’s Unconventional Style Challenged the Established Political System

Hassett argues that Trump embraced a confrontational style of governing that ran counter to the normal order of political debate. He understood the power of being audacious to get attention, using overstatement and hyperbolic rhetorical flourishes to convince his constituents that he meant what he said in a way previous candidates did not. He made frequent inflammatory pronouncements through rallies and social media, designed to force media attention on him. His critics saw this as a sign he was unstable and unfit for the presidency. President Trump recognized that, with modern technology, the media gatekeepers couldn't control the information pipeline because information flows in both directions. If the mainstream media were hostile, he would use his outrageousness to maneuver around them by posting constantly on Twitter, sometimes dozens of tweets a day. He used this new media platform to reach out to his supporters and rally them to his cause.

Trump frequently challenged his own advisors, pitting his Trade Warriors such as Peter Navarro and Wilbur Ross (who believed in tariffs) against globalists like Gary Cohn, Steven Mnuchin, and Hassett himself, who believed that tariffs would often do more harm than good. By having these advisors debate before him, Trump understood he was less likely to base a decision on a lack of information or groupthink. He also showed a willingness to countermand his advisors by accepting contrary advice or changing course when new facts arose. For example, he was eager to negotiate a new version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Initially, he threatened Mexico with tariffs, only to back off and pursue a diplomatic path by sending his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to soften relations and open the door to a new and improved deal.

Other Perspectives

• The idea that Trump's style challenged the normal order of political debate could be seen as an overstatement, as political debate has always been subject to change and evolution, with different styles coming to the forefront at different times.
• The use of overstatement and hyperbole can contribute to a divisive political climate by reinforcing echo chambers and reducing the opportunity for constructive dialogue between differing viewpoints.
• Some of Trump's pronouncements could have been aimed at initiating dialogue on issues he considered important, rather than simply provoking media coverage.
• What some critics call unfitness could be seen by supporters as a sign of a non-career politician who brings a different perspective to the presidency, potentially leading to innovative solutions.
• While modern technology provides a direct line to supporters, it can also enable the spread of misinformation and disinformation, which can have serious consequences for democratic discourse and public trust.
• While posting constantly on Twitter did allow him to reach out to his supporters, it also meant that the quality of communication may have suffered due to the sheer volume of tweets, potentially leading to message fatigue or dilution.
• The strategy of encouraging internal debates could be seen as a lack of clear policy direction from the leader, which might undermine the president's authority and the administration's stability.
• Accepting contrary advice and changing course could also be interpreted as indecisiveness or a lack of commitment to previously stated positions, potentially eroding trust among supporters and allies who expect a certain level of consistency.
• The new version of NAFTA, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), may not have required the threat of tariffs to be initiated, as diplomatic negotiations could have been pursued from the outset.

Trump's Disruption Angered Critics, Appealed To Supporters

Hassett points to the constant stream of criticism directed at Trump and his economic advisors to make the case that his attacks on the Left’s socialist agenda aroused furious opposition. Hassett himself endured months of personal attacks from critics on the right who judged him too moderate and from Democrats who saw his tax cut proposals as benefiting the wealthy. Even after the tax reform law was enacted, mainstream economists predicted that the law would have little to no positive impact on the economy. Hassett and the economic team he assembled were ridiculed for making the bold, and much criticized, prediction that the average worker would see $4,000 in additional income due to the tax cuts within 3 to 5 years. Despite the skepticism, the tax reform worked, and those predictions were proven correct in just a few years, with household income increases closer to $6,000. Nevertheless, it is Hassett’s observation that, far from winning converts, these successes made Trump’s critics increasingly resistant to compromise or even to acknowledge that cutting taxes was helping ordinary Americans.

Hassett realized that this reaction could be understood only by factoring in the fundamental historical forces at play. Trump sought to arrest the movement toward socialism,...

The Drift Summary Donald Trump's Economic Policies and Their Impacts

Implementing Pro-Growth Tax Reform

Hassett reviews the TCJA's design, which his team put together during the initial year under Trump.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Lowered Rates to Boost Wages and Investment Outlays

Hassett walks us through the design of the TCJA, which was crafted in response to the wage stagnation and rise of income inequality that occurred during Obama's presidency. The Trump economic team recognized that the U.S. corporate tax rate, which was higher than in other developed nations, was encouraging U.S. corporations to invest in other countries, leading American businesses and jobs to be exported overseas. Hassett describes this as irrational and self-defeating, a view shared by Trump. Hassett believes corporate tax reductions are misunderstood because of an incorrect assumption, popular in academia and accepted by many in media outlets, that lower corporate taxes only benefit wealthy plutocrats and do nothing for workers.

The TCJA sought to address this problem by raising the base deduction while lowering rates across the board. It provided incentives for corporations to bring their cash home by lowering the top marginal corporate tax rate to 21%,...

The Drift Summary Social and Cultural Issues Under the Trump Administration

Rethinking Immigration Policy

Hassett details how President Trump understood intuitively that America’s immigration policy made the country susceptible to the Left’s socialist agenda. Weak immigration policy weakened traditional family structures, Hassett realized, thus increasing reliance on the government.

Trump Aimed to Reform Immigration Laws to Focus on Merit and Curb Illegal Immigration

Hassett recounts how President Trump’s frustration with the lack of progress on immigration reform led him to enlist Jared Kushner and Hassett himself to work with Stephen Miller, the administration's immigration guru, to devise a comprehensive proposal. Their plan would have strengthened border security while revising U.S. immigration to focus on skills, education, entrepreneurship, and the ability of immigrants to thrive rather than merely survive.

They began by noting that 63% of current U.S. immigrants enter the nation due to a family connection. Another 22% were admitted via a lottery or due to humanitarian circumstances. Jared and Miller set out to model America’s immigration policy along the lines of Canada and Australia, which employ merit-based criteria, with a focus...