---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I hear Donald Trump say, \"Make…"
description: "\"When I hear Donald Trump say, \"Make America great again\", I wonder when he thought America ever was great.\" He has been criticizing our country for dec..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/hillary-clinton-51_country_when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-americ_3144283.jpg"
---

#  When I hear Donald Trump say, "Make America great again"…

![“When I hear Donald Trump say, &quot;Make America great again&quot;, I wonder when he thought America ever was great.&quot; He has been criticizing our country for decades. He even criticized Ronald Reagan.” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/hillary-clinton-51_country_when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-americ_3144283.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/hillary-clinton-51_country_when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-americ_3144283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/hillary-clinton-51_country_when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-americ_3144283.jpg)

> “When I hear Donald Trump say, "Make America great again", I wonder when he thought America ever was great." He has been criticizing our country for decades. He even criticized Ronald Reagan.”

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker questions the premise that America was ever truly great, highlighting perceived decline and criticism of past leaders.

**In simple terms:** He doubts America’s past greatness and critiques nostalgia.

Key Takeaway

Examine history critically, not just slogans.

Themes

politics nostalgia critique

Mood

skeptical analytical

Type

political critical

When to use this quote

- political discourse
- media analysis
- public policy

Key Concepts

historical revisionism national identity

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence supports or refutes past greatness?
- How can we define progress beyond slogans?

A Different Perspective

Slogans can oversimplify complex histories.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[America Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-great/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize/) [Criticizing Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticizing-country-2224571/) [Ronald reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ronald-reagan/) [Thought America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-america-586490/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-say-378628/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/)

## Related quotes

> [We are the greatest experts in the world in criticizing our country, but no one loves his country more than the Israelis. No one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-olmert/we-are-the-greatest-experts-in-the-world-in-criticizing-our-country/)

[Ehud Olmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-olmert/)

> [Some of the core principles of President Trump are very similar to those of Ronald Reagan. When you look at peace through strength and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reince-priebus/some-of-the-core-principles-of-president-trump-are-very-similar-to/)

[Reince Priebus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reince-priebus/)

> [I'm not responding to any of the personal attacks that come from Donald Trump, because he can say whatever he wants about me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-not-responding-to-any-of-the-personal-attacks-that-come-from/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [ The worst part of what we heard Donald \[trump\] say has been about nuclear weapons. He has said repeatedly that he didn't care if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-worst-part-of-what-we-heard-donald-trump-say-has-been-about/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Also, of course, for most of this time most Americans thought of America as a white country with, at best, only a very segregated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/also-of-course-for-most-of-this-time-most-americans-thought-of/)

[Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/)

> [America already is great, but we are great because we are good, and we will respect one another, and we will work with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/america-already-is-great-but-we-are-great-because-we-are-good-and-we/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Donald Trump thinks belittling women makes him bigger. We need to stand up and be clear that we don't want this, we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/donald-trump-thinks-belittling-women-makes-him-bigger-we-need-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [America is great, because America is good. And it really is up to all of us to make that true, now and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/america-is-great-because-america-is-good-and-it-really-is-up-to-all/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [When Donald Trump says, "Let's make America great again," that is code for let's take America backward. Back to a time when opportunity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-donald-trump-says-let-s-make-america-great-again-that-is-code/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [Well, in 1947... in Europe and in Italy especially, we thought of America as all-powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-agnelli/well-in-1947-in-europe-and-in-italy-especially-we-thought-of-america/)

[Giovanni Agnelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-agnelli/)

> [I, in my own mind, have always thought of America as a place in the divine scheme of things that was set aside as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-in-my-own-mind-have-always-thought-of-america-as-a-place-in-the/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [I obviously wouldn't say on nationwide TV that I thought America was racist, sexist, homophobic and violent if they asked me why I left.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-trent-d-arby/i-obviously-wouldn-t-say-on-nationwide-tv-that-i-thought-america-was/)

[Terence Trent D'Arby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-trent-d-arby/)

> [“Well, I thought, America's not stingy with its bombs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shizuko-go/well-i-thought-america-s-not-stingy-with-its-bombs/)

[Shizuko Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shizuko-go/)

> [I thought America needed to see what a normal family was really like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/i-thought-america-needed-to-see-what-a-normal-family-was-really-like/)

[Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/)

> [I find it highly amusing that Donald Trump talks about "Make America Great Again." He doesn't make a thing in America, except bankruptcies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-find-it-highly-amusing-that-donald-trump-talks-about-make-america/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More by Hillary Clinton

> [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I'm going to do everything I can to get myself elected, but that's not enough. I'm going to try to help move the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-going-to-do-everything-i-can-to-get-myself-elected-but-that-s-not/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I think we have to take a look at corporate law. We have to take a look at the incentives that we can perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-we-have-to-take-a-look-at-corporate-law-we-have-to-take-a/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We know in New York we have several million at any one time who are in New York illegally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-know-in-new-york-we-have-several-million-at-any-one-time-who-are/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I have always believed that women are not victims, we are agents of change, we are drivers of progress, we are makers of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-always-believed-that-women-are-not-victims-we-are-agents-of/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We now have power under the Dodd-Frank legislation to break up banks. And I've said I will use that power if they pose a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-now-have-power-under-the-dodd-frank-legislation-to-break-up-banks/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [It's important to recognize that expanding the circle of opportunity and increasing the democratic potential of our own society, as well as those across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-important-to-recognize-that-expanding-the-circle-of-opportunity/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We're living in a technological world. You cannot tell me we can't do a better job getting that information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-re-living-in-a-technological-world-you-cannot-tell-me-we-can-t-do/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I do not think homosexuality is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-do-not-think-homosexuality-is-immoral/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [We need to have more second chance programs. I'm glad that we're ending private prisons in the federal system; I want to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-have-more-second-chance-programs-i-m-glad-that-we-re/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [A nuclear-weapons armed Iran is not in anyone's human-rights interests. That is a direct threat to the lives and the livelihoods and the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-nuclear-weapons-armed-iran-is-not-in-anyone-s-human-rights/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

[Explore all 1,911 Hillary Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More Country quotes

> [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/)

[Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/)

> [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/)

[Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/)

[Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/)

> [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/)

[Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/)

> [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/)

[Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/)

> [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/)

[Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/)

[Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/)

> [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/)

[Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

> [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/)

[Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/)

> [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/)

[Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/)

[Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I hear Donald Trump say, \"Make America great again\", I wonder when he thought America ever was great.\" He has been criticizing our country for decades. He even criticized Ronald Reagan.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Hillary Clinton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-america-great-again-i-wonder-when/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Country"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-america-great-again-i-wonder-when/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/hillary-clinton-51_country_when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-americ_3144283.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/hillary-clinton-51_country_when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-americ_3144283.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9f/hillary-clinton-51_country_when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-americ_3144283.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I hear Donald Trump say, \"Make America great again\", I wonder when he thought America ever was great.\"…” — Hillary Clinton",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Hillary Clinton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I hear Donald Trump say,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-america-great-again-i-wonder-when/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-i-hear-donald-trump-say-make-america-great-again-i-wonder-when/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
