What is Donald Trump's secret sauce?

Gautam Mukunda, Lecturer at Yale School of Management and Bloomberg Opinion contributor, reflects on the first year of President Trump's second term and highlights what to look out for as we head into 2026.

President Donald Trump had an ambitious 2025, but he will have to shift his focus in 2026 if he wants to help Republicans keep control of Capitol Hill.
While Trump has ruled out asking Congress for a second reconciliation package, he will be engaged with Capitol Hill on several fronts, including a fight to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies and a spending deal to avert another government shutdown on Jan. 30.
Some House Republicans are pessimistic about their chances next November without more assistance from Trump.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) warned Republicans haven’t done enough to pass Trump’s agenda on Capitol Hill.
“This is a historic time. We had a historic moment, and we shoved it this year,” Mace saidat an exclusive Bloomberg Government roundtable. “We’re going to lose the midterms in the House. I think the Senate is at risk because we haven’t been doing enough.”
Trump started to pivot in December, suggesting he wants to reset and drive the agenda ahead of the elections.
He announced bonuses for military members, dubbed “Warrior Dividends,” hit the road on an affordability tour, and rescheduled marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a less dangerous substance — an issue long championed by Democrats.
In his prime-time address earlier this month, Trump teased some of his New Year initiatives, including tapping the next Federal Reserve chair, lowering mortgage payments, and announcing “some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history.”
“You will see in your wallets and bank accounts in the new year, after years of record-setting, falling incomes, our policies are boosting take-home pay at a historic pace,” Trump said.
--------
More on Bloomberg Television and Markets

Like this video? Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss any videos from Bloomberg Markets & Finance: https://tinyurl.com/ysu5b8a9
Visit http://www.bloomberg.com for business news & analysis, up-to-the-minute market data, features, profiles and more.

Connect with Bloomberg Television on:
X:   / bloombergtv  
Facebook:   / bloombergtelevision  
Instagram:   / bloombergtv  

Connect with Bloomberg Business on:
X:   / business  
Facebook:   / bloombergbusiness  
Instagram:   / bloombergbusiness  
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bloombergbusi...
Reddit:   / bloomberg  
LinkedIn:   / bloomberg-news  

More from Bloomberg:
Bloomberg Radio:   / bloombergradio  

Bloomberg Surveillance:   / bsurveillance  
Bloomberg Politics:   / bpolitics  
Bloomberg Originals:   / bbgoriginals  

Watch more on YouTube:
Bloomberg Technology:    / @bloombergtechnology  
Bloomberg Originals:    / @business  
Bloomberg Quicktake:    / @bloombergquicktake  
Bloomberg Espanol:    / @bloomberg_espanol  
Bloomberg Podcasts:    / @bloombergpodcasts