"Among my highest priorities is to rescue our economy and deliver immediate relief to working families," declared U.S. President Donald Trump during his first address to a joint session of Congress in March 2025. Since returning to office, Trump has consistently positioned himself as a champion of the American economy, vowing to tackle the nation's deep-rooted challenges.
Chen Jie, Vice Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Science at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, noted in a recent interview with GDToday in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, that the United States has been facing a structural shift in its economy since the onset of globalization.
"Many major manufacturing companies moved operations to developing countries. As a result, blue-collar workers have suffered from unemployment and job instability, while the middle class has also been squeezed," he explained.
"If you work in a high-end industry, you've likely gained significant wealth. But for those outside that sphere, globalization has made them victims," Chen said, adding that the economic dislocation caused many Americans to lose faith in the system.
"When people feel the system no longer works for them, they begin to seek out political leaders who challenge the status quo," he warned. "Trump is capitalizing on the fallout from globalization to further his own political ambitions."
According to Chen, Trump's cabinet picks also reflect his broader political strategy. "These appointments are intended to signal that the people around him are not deeply embedded in the Washington establishment," he explained. "If they were, they wouldn't be able to carry out his anti-establishment agenda."
Chen noted that Trump has long used "Washington" as shorthand for the federal government, often portraying it as a swamp in need of draining. "This worldview continues to shape how he selects his team and presents himself as a political outsider, even from within the White House," he said.
Reporter | Mao Shujie, Wang Hang
Video Editor | Lu Xiao
Video Script | Mao Shujie, Liu Xiaodi
Text | Mao Shujie, Liu Xiaodi
Editor | Yao Yijiang, Yuan Zixiang, James, Shen He
