According to Dr. Gladden Pappin, President of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs (MKI), Donald Trump is not a prisoner of ideology but an instinctive tactician — a leader who thrives in chaos yet always remains in control.
“This is a man who builds walls, but always leaves a door — and he’s the one who decides who walks through it,” Pappin said during his talk in Budapest. “Provocative? Yes. Dangerous? Maybe. But always strategic.”
Pappin described Trump as a political chess player: sometimes appearing to make impulsive moves, yet always knowing exactly where the game is heading. From building walls to bringing troops home and emphasizing sovereignty, every step fits into a larger strategy. “Even when it seems excessive,” Pappin noted, “Trump’s goal is for America to finally play for itself — not for others.”
A More Cohesive Administration
In an interview following his lecture, Dr. Pappin elaborated on how Trump’s current administration differs sharply from his first.
“President Trump now has a very like-minded vice president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and cabinet members who are largely on the same page,” he explained. “This time, he has brought much of the advice directly into the administration itself, making him less dependent on external think tanks.”
While the Heritage Foundation still plays a key role in shaping the conservative agenda, Pappin emphasized that Trump’s new team is far more internally organized and ideologically unified than before.
Lessons Learned from the First Term
When asked why the second Trump administration feels so different, Pappin compared Trump’s experience to that of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose early years in power were similarly marked by surprise and internal resistance.
“In 2017, Trump didn’t yet understand the scale of the challenge,” Pappin recalled. “He didn’t have the right people around him, and much of the bureaucracy worked actively against him.”
Now, after four years out of power, Pappin said, Trump’s team has had time to prepare.
“This time, they know who their friends are and who are not,” he added. “Unfortunately, that’s the reality of the American system — the left-wing deep state continues to obstruct a conservative national government.”
A More Assertive Approach
According to Pappin, Trump’s second term is defined by a more assertive and defensive stance.
“When Trump came into power this time, he took a much more aggressive approach to ensure the government would do what the people actually elected it to do,” Pappin said.
As the United States heads toward the midterm elections, Pappin believes this renewed clarity of purpose — and a unified team — could make all the difference.
