The first six months of Donald Trump¡¯s second presidency have been marked by a flurry of executive orders and legislative activity unparalleled in U.S. history, with the possible exception of Franklin D. Roosevelt¡¯s first 100 days in office.

The key difference is that Roosevelt¡¯s New Deal was a radical ¡ª and ultimately successful ¡ª effort to pull the United States out of the Great Depression. By contrast, Trump¡¯s policy drive lacks such a clear, immediate catalyst, as the U.S. economy was performing well before he came to office.

Rather than responding to a crisis, Trump¡¯s policies seek to reorient the American economy by revitalizing its once-dominant manufacturing sector. Whether they will succeed is far from certain.