Trump's Royalist Tendencies Contrast Sharply with Washington's Selfless Leadership

While both men were born wealthy and image-conscious, their approaches to power could not be more different.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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A new analysis examines the surprising similarities and stark differences between former President Donald Trump and America's first president, George Washington. While both men were born wealthy, aggressive acquirers of real estate, and image-conscious, their approaches to power could not be more different. Washington repeatedly gave up power at crucial moments, while Trump has shown a 'royalist' and 'brazenly self-aggrandizing' tendency, constantly seeking to expand his influence and have his name attached to prominent institutions.

Why it matters

This comparison highlights the fundamental tension between the democratic principles the U.S. was founded upon and the authoritarian impulses of leaders who seek to concentrate power. Washington's selflessness in relinquishing power helped establish the peaceful transfer of power as a core American value, while Trump's refusal to accept his electoral defeat threatens to erode those norms.

The details

The article notes that while Washington had a 'monumental ego' and 'desperately wanted to be a great man,' he 'readily and repeatedly gave up power' at key moments, such as after the Revolutionary War and after two terms as president. In contrast, Trump has shown a 'royalist' tendency, constantly seeking to expand his influence by putting his name on government buildings, demanding the Nobel Peace Prize, and refusing to accept his 2020 election loss.

  • In 2026, the U.S. will celebrate the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, of its founding.
  • Trump refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election and urged the vice president and a mob to halt the peaceful transfer of power.

The players

George Washington

The first president of the United States, who helped define the role of the presidency through his actions and repeatedly gave up power at crucial moments, in contrast to Trump's authoritarian tendencies.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, who has shown a 'royalist' and 'brazenly self-aggrandizing' tendency, constantly seeking to expand his influence and have his name attached to prominent institutions.

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What they’re saying

“We haven't been taught to think critically about Washington.”

— Alexis Coe

“Washington 'was not a 'selfless' man or one who was simply engaging in disinterested service. Rather, a pattern emerges of a man who was deeply ambitious, massively concerned with his reputation, and in regular search of the public approbation, even as he denied such desires.'”

— Peter Henriques, Historian

What’s next

Historians will have an overwhelming job of compiling and organizing the 'confetti of royalist declarations' from Trump's presidency, but the defining moment will be his refusal to accept the 2020 election loss and his urging of the vice president and a mob to halt the peaceful transfer of power.

The takeaway

This comparison between Trump and Washington highlights the fundamental tension between the democratic principles the U.S. was founded upon and the authoritarian impulses of leaders who seek to concentrate power. Washington's selflessness in relinquishing power helped establish the peaceful transfer of power as a core American value, while Trump's actions threaten to erode those norms.