Donald Trump’s 2016 Presidential Win Was, Perhaps, Predicted Centuries Ago by Nostradamus

According to conspiracy theorists, Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential victory may have been forecasted centuries ago by Nostradamus—the 16th-century French astrologer, who was famous for his cryptic prophecies. Many believe he accurately predicted world events throughout history, from the rise of Napolean to World War II. His writings have once again come under scrutiny as theorists argue that his verses also pointed to Trump’s unexpected rise to power in 2016.

As per the New York Post, in a passage many now associate with Trump’s 2016 victory, Nostradamus wrote, “The bridge broken, the city faint from fear… The great shameless, audacious bawler, he will be elected governor of the army.” The ‘governor of the army’ is interpreted as a metaphor for the U.S. presidency, given the nation’s status as a global military powerhouse. The eerie connection doesn’t stop there. Another quatrain reads, “The false trumpet concealing madness will cause Byzantium to change its laws,” which theorists argue was Trump’s 2016 campaign rhetoric on immigration and his anti-establishment persona.

While Nostradamus’ writings have prompted debate, the modern-day 'Nostradamus of U.S. elections' provided more grounded insight into Trump’s future prospects. Allan Lichtman, a political historian who has accurately predicted the outcomes of nearly every presidential election since 1984, famously foresaw Trump’s win in 2016. His prediction defied almost all polls, which had heavily favored Hillary Clinton. Lichtman’s unique system known as the '13 Keys to the White House,' relies on historical patterns rather than traditional polling methods. 

Lichtman has once again put his model to the test before the 2024 election. This time, though, the historian forecasts a very different outcome—a win for the Democrats, with Vice President Kamala Harris set to take the White House. “The Democrats will hold on to the White House and Harris will be the next president of the United States…The Democrats did better than expected in 2022 but they still lost house seats, so the key is false.” He added, “Biden withdrew from the race, costing the Democrats this key. It is false. If Biden had stayed in, they would have salvaged this one key…The Democrats finally got smart and united overwhelmingly behind Vice President Harris. So, the key is true,” as reported by Daily Beast.

He further explained,  “RFK Jr. has dropped out of the race and no other third-party candidate is anywhere close to the 10 percent polling threshold needed to turn this key. It’s true... Republicans have been trying for years to pin a scandal on President Biden [but] came up empty. So the key is true.” Lichtman has rightly predicted nine out of 10 election wins in the last 40 years. However, in a political landscape as unpredictable as the one Trump helped shape, anything can happen. As the 2024 election approaches, the contrast between Nostradamus’ mystical prophecies and Lichtman’s data-driven predictions offers a fascinating lens through which to view Trump's future and also America's.