Six Months In: What Trump Has Taught Us (So Far)

By: Chris Durlak

Straight to the Point

• Trump 2.0 isn’t chaos anymore — it’s the new normal. The playbook has changed.
• Speed and precision beat size and consensus. Influence goes to those who act fast, speak directly, and build the right coalition — not the biggest one.
• You don’t need to wait, you need to plan. Start communicating, build your coalition, map your influence, reframe your ask, and stay visible. The chaos may be constant, but your action can be too.

What We See

The shock has worn off. The chaos hasn’t.

Six months into Trump’s second term, the drama has become the drumbeat. The early flurry of executive orders and bombastic soundbites has given way to something more difficult to manage: predictably unpredictable governance.

And yet… everyone’s asking the same thing: Can this pace really continue?

He’s gotten his “big, beautiful” bill through Congress. His on-again, off-again feud with Elon dominates headlines. His star still burns bright. But stars that burn hottest often collapse fastest — and with an election looming, gravity is already making an impact.

No one knows what the next disruption will be. But we know there will be one. That uncertainty — the “known unknowns” — isn’t a barrier. It’s a feature of today’s strategic environment. The best strategies build in that unpredictability and still move forward with clarity and intention.

What It Means

(1) Build New and Different Alliances

Coalitions still matter, but what matters more is how they’re built and deployed. Where traditional associations speak for entire industries, there are moments that call for a more focused front: a small group of aligned players — sometimes even across sectors — coming together quickly around one high-stakes issue. MAGA (and MAHA) aren’t monoliths — they’re coalitions of convenience, often filled with strange bedfellows. That’s a feature, not a bug. Think of your own coalition that way: built for purpose, not perfection. It’s the manageability and shared urgency that matter.

Speed isn’t a bonus. It’s the requirement.

In the Trump era, influence windows open and shut in hours. At Purple, we’ve developed and launched brand-new, multi-channel campaigns in just days — because that’s the tempo today’s environment demands.

(2) Reposition Issues Strategically

It’s tempting to make it all about Trump — but real leverage often lies just beneath him: in the Cabinet, in Congress, and in the local politics that still shape national decisions.

Yes, Trump is the headliner. But cabinet secretaries, congressional allies, MAGA media influencers, even key donors and district-level players all hold cards. The smart move is to play the entire board. “All politics is local” still works — especially when the populist outcry risks real economic pain back home.

This moment also demands reframing. Using the language of populism — or even MAGA itself — can flip the script. If you’re seen as standing in the way of Trump’s next “big win,” you’re dead. But if your ask can become that win? He’ll claim it and run with it.

Trump wants big, beautiful victories. He rarely sweats the fine print. That’s where your opportunity lives — in the details. If the fix you need feels like fuel for his momentum, it’s more likely to happen. Repositioning isn’t spin. It’s strategy.

(3) Manage the Volatility – Don’t Let It Manage You

The bad news? Trump jumps from issue to issue and then jumps back again. What’s hot today might vanish tomorrow, only to resurface with more heat the next week.

The good news? He’s spread thin. You’re not.

That’s your strategic edge. You don’t need to chase or fear his attention — you get to shape your issue every day, with focus and consistency. Volatility doesn’t mean passivity. It means showing up smarter, faster, and without pause.

Too often, volatility becomes the rationale for doing nothing. Don’t wait. Use the downtime. Own the narrative. Get out there. Companies and associations who stay in-market — even when the president isn’t focused on their issue — are the ones best positioned when the spotlight swings back.

For many, just “getting out there” feels risky. But smart action doesn’t always mean public confrontation. Segment-specific, MAGA-coalition-oriented research and targeted influence mapping are steps that feel actionable — and safer — while still building readiness and momentum.

What To Do About It

Here are five moves you can make right now:

1. Stop waiting for permission. Start communicating now.
Create the content you’ve been holding whether it’s an explainer post, op-ed, or short video — and publish it. Not next quarter. Not next news cycle.

2. Convene your coalition — but keep it small and strategic.
Identify 3–5 organizations (they don’t need to be in your sector) who share your position on a specific issue. Convene the group. Align on language, audience, and a shared action.

3. Create a power map of influence.
Build a list of the 10–15 individuals who truly shape your issue (it probably doesn’t start with Trump). Think: agency heads, committee staffers, regional press, key donors, think tank voices, and trusted influencers in the MAGA universe.

4. Rewrite your ask through the lens of a Trump win.
Look at your top policy priority and reframe it in one sentence — not as your fix, but as his victory.

5. Launch your always-on engine — even in the quiet weeks.
Set a rhythm: one piece of content per week, one stakeholder meeting per month, one piece of new creative per quarter. Get up and stay up.

At Purple Strategies, we’ve helped companies do all of this and win. From building cross-sector coalitions in days, to reframing issues, to running always-on campaigns that break through the chaos — we’ve been in the middle of it, and we know how to deliver results.

Reach out — and let’s get to work. Contact Us.