Trump may not always deliver the message the way your therapist recommends, but he speaks like a true New Yorker — from the heart.

RBC Newsroom, April 2025

It’s no secret that Donald J. Trump brings fireworks wherever he goes — policy, podium, or post. Lately, his reemergence in the national conversation has reignited debates around tariffs, NATO spending, immigration policy, and even military action. Some are pacing nervously. Others are polishing their “Make America Great Again” mugs. But one thing is certain: true New Yorkers see something familiar.

It’s not about agreeing with every decision. It’s about recognizing the energy. The grit. The let’s-get-this-done-no-matter-what- attitude.

He may not always deliver the message the way your therapist recommends, but he’s speaking from the heart — and often, from a distinctly Queens-born, corner-store-pragmatism that real New Yorkers instinctively trust.

Let’s look at the food dye ban.

His administration has proposed eliminating harmful artificial dyes — a decision aligned with parents, pediatricians, and anyone who’s ever read the back of a cereal box. And yet, even that’s being met with criticism. “Government overreach!” some cry. Others fear the flavor apocalypse. But this is how it always goes. Trump could offer free bagels and someone would shout, “What about the gluten?”

New Yorkers get this. We argue, we roast, we complain… but when the delivery guy’s running late, we don’t cancel — we tip him anyway. That’s the heart of it. And speaking of tipping: Trump made clear he doesn’t support taxing tips or overtime pay. That alone earned him nods from service workers and hustlers alike — people who know what it’s like to grind and deserve to keep what they’ve earned.

The tariff noise is real, too.

His trade war talk makes economists antsy. But for many blue-collar workers and manufacturing towns, this isn’t about global strategy — it’s about 401k’s, keeping jobs at home and making sure “Made in the USA” means something again. That’s not just political. That’s personal.

His stances on NATO and military presence? Controversial, sure. But even critics have to admit: Trump is raising questions that others avoid. Should America really be the global police? Are we footing too much of the bill for allies who don’t pay their share? Again — New Yorkers ask hard questions, even when the answers are messy.

In the end, the love-hate Trump dynamic isn’t about cult-like devotion or blind opposition. It’s about familiarity. He’s loud. He’s flawed. He’s relentless. But he moves like a city kid trying to beat rush hour — and that resonates.

He’s got Wall Street’s pulse, the middle class’s paycheck, and your grandma’s rent control apartment all on his mind — even if it’s buried beneath three layers of bravado and a tan.

Say what you will. But in a city that never sleeps, Trump’s just another guy trying to make sure the lights stay on — and btw — it’s only been like, three months.