Donald Trump, the former narcissist, has once again become the 47th president of the United States. Compared to the disasters he is about to bring in the next four years, the time between Election Day and his inauguration may seem like a period of good times. However, the ‘breathing space’ he enjoyed during this time did not bring him the success he expected. He is like a tragic actor about to take the stage, with shadows constantly hovering over him. The cruel coincidence that this falls on Martin Luther King Jr.’s remembrance day seems to deepen the shadows. Dr. King was a great defender of democracy and human rights in American history; Trump is a committed enemy of these values. Millions of Americans who voted for Kamala Harris and believe in American democracy and the public good are collectively stuck in various stages of grief. This grief is even more painful because tens of millions of other Americans are jubilant at Trump’s return to the White House and his vow of revenge against ‘the enemy within’ as part of making America ‘great again.’ Those who mistakenly believed that Trump would improve their lives and ‘restore’ the nation have no experience living under authoritarian or authoritarian regimes. They may have voted to ‘shake things up’ and believed they were supporting a leader who would ‘break the rules’ to ‘get things done.’ This will turn out to be a Faustian bargain. While the MAGA followers may feast on the proverbial fat of the land, the common people may be devoured like everyone else.