President Nixon in 1969 wanted to get rid of the costly failures of the Great Society. President Trump in 2025 wants to get his rich buddies a tax break. Both sought power. In Nixon’s eyes power was political success. Trump’s view of power is the accumulation of wealth.
In 1969 billions of dollars were being spent on social services for the poor. Nixon’s view spending billions on social services for the poor encouraged them to feel dependent. It discouraged the kind of self-reliance needed to get people on their feet.
A Family Assistance Plan was developed based on what the poor needed was money to rise out of poverty. Nixon’s plan was seen as shifting cash resources from the general tax base (high income earners) to low-income families. Some saw this as wealth redistribution.
Fifty-six years later Trump offers a “Big Beautiful Bill” to get his billionaire supporters a “Big Beautiful” tax cut. Trump would pay for the tax cut by taking hundreds of billions from Medicaid (healthcare) and the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (food). Other programs for the less fortunate are cut as well in his “Big Beautiful Bill”. Nixon’s goal was to lift up the poor while Trump goal is making the rich richer. Sounds like wealth redistribution in reverse.
When it comes to power Nixon worked hard to be twice elected President. However, “power” came with a high price. The press drove him from the presidency after his henchmen broke into the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate building to steal campaign/finance information about his opponent. Anything to win!
Trump’s push for power is all about wealth accumulation. The family empire has grown from a hotel and real estate to include a portfolio of social media and crypto businesses just to list a few. He is financially benefiting from his office more openly than ever. The press has yet to fully engage and report on his quest for wealth accumulation.
The story of Robin Hood whose goal it was to steal from the rich and give to the poor seems to have made a greater impact on President Nixon than it did President Trump.