Donald Trump’s political persona is viewed through the lens of Niccolò Machiavelli’s 12 principles from The Prince. It delves into Trump’s use of manipulation, adaptability, and perception to solidify his power, aligning with Machiavelli’s emphasis on the importance of cunning and seizing opportunities. While Trump exemplifies the Machiavellian "new prince" who rises through personal success rather than birthright, his lack of long-term vision, disregard for advisors, and ability to fuel division reveal the flaws that prevent him from fulfilling Machiavelli’s ideal of a stable and virtuous ruler. The poem highlights how Trump's rule mirrors Machiavelli’s principles, from the necessity of fear over love to the danger of disregarding the advice of seasoned strategists. It serves as a meditation on the complexities of power in the modern age, viewed through Machiavelli’s timeless framework.

Beneath the gilded name, a prince ascends,
With flair for spectacle and firm amends.
A modern player in a timeless game,
Where truth and power bear no single name.

The means he chooses often bend the moral line,
Deceit and bluster serve his grand design.
Yet statecraft’s higher good he sets aside,
For fame and fortune feed his boundless pride.

Perception proves his greatest, sharpest blade,
A showman’s charm, by which the crowd is swayed.
Through tweets and slogans, image holds its ground,
But trust, once lost, is rarely yet refound.

Adapt he does, as pressures shape his way,
Yet impulse scorches plans foresight might lay.
Each shifting stance betrays a restless soul,
Too short his vision for the broader whole.

Though feared by foes, respect he cannot claim,
For fear entwined with scorn inflames the same.
Divisive words ignite fresh fires of hate,
A fractious realm, the legacy of fate.

Advisors fall like leaves from autumn trees,
Unstable power crumbles by degrees.
No loyal army strengthens his domain,
Disdain for counsel marks his rule’s refrain.

A self-made prince, he spurns the noble line,
Through wealth and wit, he claims his chance to shine.
Yet breaking norms without enduring change,
Leaves systems brittle, fragile, and estranged.

Fortuna’s whims he seeks to seize with flair,
Yet squanders moments, caught in webs of care.
Where foresight falters, chaos thrives instead,
And rash decisions line the road ahead.

A Machiavellian prince, in part, he reigns,
Yet falters when confronted by just gains.
For cunning unrestrained by steady plan,
Leaves hollow thrones and fractured hearts of man.