America Is Ready for a New Chapter and Restoration of the American Dream

In the weeks since President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory, I’ve walked the streets of Miami, talking to the people who shape our future, about the future. I listened to a young couple who had just opened a small café—its tables filled with neighbors eager to support their new venture. I spoke with a college student juggling classes and working at a tech start-up after midnight, determined to help shape America’s future through hard work and innovation. I heard from families who—like mine—had fled dysfunctional, socialist regimes abroad. Their stories, different though they may be, shared the same sentiment: America is ready for a new chapter, one defined by unity and the restoration of the American Dream.

But this unity isn’t just heard on the streets; it’s reflected in the data. A new CNN poll released just this week found that a majority of Americans approve of how President-elect Trump is handling his transition and of the team he is assembling. By approving of his early steps and policy direction, the country is again—as it did in November—making clear its desire for a government focused on actionable results, creating jobs, championing enterprise, and reaffirming the ideals that have long guided the American experiment.

This welcoming attitude spans across communities and demographics. While the survey doesn’t single out Hispanic voters, we know that in places like Miami—home to vibrant Cuban-American, Venezuelan-American, and Nicaraguan-American communities—families who have firsthand experience with oppressive regimes appreciate the value of strong, freedom-focused policies. It’s why Miami-Dade County flipped for a Republican presidential candidate for the first time since 1988. These Americans know firsthand that when government respects private enterprise, protects individual rights, and stands firmly against the failed models they fled, true prosperity can take root. They aren’t just warming to Trump because of a speech or a slogan; they know that his agenda of cutting regulatory red tape, ensuring our borders are secure, and incentivizing small business expansion will deliver tangible, life-changing results.

Younger Americans, too, are looking anew at this incoming administration. After years of stagnation and anxiety, many under 45 are excited to see a leader back start-ups, embrace cutting-edge technology, and invest in workforce development. In Miami, where a tech start-up can grow next door to a decades-old bodega, that means more than an uptick in the stock market—it means opportunities for the next generation to launch careers, build families, and turn their creativity into something real. President-elect Trump, by assembling a capable team with private sector savvy—Howard Lutnick, Scott Bessent and David Sacks just to name a few—is demonstrating a commitment to unleashing this potential rather than bogging it down in bureaucratic inertia.

The most encouraging part? This approval and optimism stretch well beyond our city’s skyline. Americans across the heartland and along both coasts are paying close attention and finding reasons to trust what they see. They recognize that President-elect Trump’s victory wasn’t just a political upset—it’s an invitation to finally move beyond the old gridlock and excuses. His approach promises to be unapologetically pragmatic: if a policy revitalizes a struggling factory town, great; if it helps an emerging tech hub flourish, even better. He isn’t offering half measures. He’s setting the table for a new era, one where Washington works with citizens, not against them, and where rules are crafted to spur growth, not stifle it.

In Miami, we know that when government steps back from micromanagement and focuses on basics—public safety, fair regulations, fostering entrepreneurship—communities flourish. We’ve seen that a confident, future-focused agenda yields real dividends, from revitalized business districts to safer streets. Now, national polling is showing that Americans are ready to see these principles applied at scale and President-elect Trump is preparing to deliver.

We stand at the threshold of a moment that can redefine our future. The voices I’ve heard in Miami, the data we’ve seen, and the fresh confidence in President-elect Trump’s vision all tell the same story: Americans are rallying around a leader who believes in their capacity to achieve great things. They see in him a defender of enterprise, an advocate for strong communities, and a champion of the American Dream itself.

For generations, people have come to this country believing that if you respect the law, work hard, and pursue your dreams, you can succeed. That promise drew my family here and countless others to Miami and beyond. Today, with a new administration that commands popular approval, we have every reason to believe we can fulfill that promise once again. Let’s seize this opportunity—united under President-elect Trump’s leadership—so that every American can share in the blessings of a truly reawakened American Dream.

Francis Suarez is the 43rd and current mayor of Miami, Florida.

This article was originally published by RealClearFlorida and made available via RealClearWire.