Some people may not like Donald Trump. However, as someone who immigrated legally to the United States 25 years ago, I see in him something I’ve admired about Americans since my teenage years: resilience. It doesn’t matter how many times you fall; what matters is that you get back up and keep moving forward. Trump may be controversial, but he embodies a quality many Americans believe about themselves—that they are fighters.

It’s often said that Trump inherited about a million dollars from his father, but today he’s worth billions. People may mock him for his business failures, but who’s laughing now? Trump rose each time, learning from his mistakes, just as any successful businessperson does. There’s an old interview with Oprah in the ’80s where she asked, and I’m paraphrasing, “Why don’t you run for president?” Trump responded that America was going in the wrong direction and that the changes he’d make would upset too many people. Interestingly, back then, he and Oprah were friends, and he was widely liked, especially in New York—even celebrated by rappers who aspired to be like him. But once he ran for the presidency in 2016, he went from being a beloved public figure to one of the most polarizing.

I believe Trump genuinely loves America. He didn’t need to face all the battles he’s endured since announcing his candidacy. Politics is a ruthless arena where power is everything, and true friends are rare. When John F. Kennedy appointed his brother as Attorney General, it was because loyalty is essential. Likewise, appointing trusted family members or close allies to important roles makes sense if loyalty is your priority. I completely understand why Trump—or any powerful person—would seek loyalty from those they bring into their circle.

Then, in 2016, Trump won the presidency. Even before he took office on January 20, 2017, efforts were underway to impeach him, with the Russia collusion investigation looming over his entire term. He faced daily media attacks, yet his administration had many successes. Frankly, I don’t know how he managed to get through his first term—he’s certainly no quitter.

After losing the contentious 2020 election, I thought his political career was over. But he announced his bid for the 2024 election, and immediately, “they” mobilized to stop him, tying him up in legal battles and indictments. Once he became the Republican nominee, several states even tried to keep him off their ballots. Meanwhile, he faced accusations of misleading banks, allegedly exaggerating Mar-a-Lago’s value for a loan. Yet, the bank confirmed the loan was paid in full, both parties profited, and they’d gladly do business with him again. Where’s the crime when there’s no victim? Nonetheless, he was given 24 hours to pay $355 million for business fraud or risk having his properties seized. Trump appealed, and the amount was reduced to $175 million. Still, no one else has been forced to pay such an amount for what some would call a mundane “crime.”

But that wasn’t the end. Trump was sued and convicted for allegedly falsifying records related to a payment to a former adult film star. In Georgia, he was also indicted over alleged election interference. In Florida, he faced charges for possessing classified documents he took after leaving the White House. Interestingly, Joe Biden faced similar accusations but was found not guilty due to his age and alleged mental fitness—yet he remains president, with responsibilities as serious as national security, such as sole authority to launch U.S. nuclear weapons. Go figure.

In my view, these indictments served at least two purposes: to keep Trump busy in court and to attempt to disqualify him from running. Yet, even this hasn’t stopped him. Then there were two assassination attempts. In the first, a 20-year-old fired eight rounds from an AR-15–style rifle from a nearby rooftop—remarkably, no one protecting Trump noticed. Even stranger, the shooter had no social media presence or known history. The second attempt involved an older man with a background that should have warranted federal monitoring.

People may not like Trump, but his determination is undeniable. His refusal to accept defeat is something Americans can admire and emulate. I believe he entered politics not to be a saint but because he loves America and wants to fight for it.

By Luis de Andrade