This time, I’m publishing an article that isn’t exactly typical for me. My work usually focuses on numerology, and occasionally on mantras. In the case of U.S. President Donald Trump, however, we can compare his numerological cycle—which has become at least somewhat unfavorable this year—with Chinese Bazi astrology, also known as the Four Pillars of Destiny. By comparing these two systems, we can sometimes arrive at more precise predictions.

In very general terms, Bazi astrology analyzes the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water), and from the relationships between them we can determine whether fate is more likely to bring challenges or opportunities for favorable developments.

One of the challenges with this form of Chinese astrology and president Donald Trump is that Donald Trump—along with Chinese President Xi Jinping—is likely one of the most influential figures on the planet, yet Bazi practitioners themselves do not agree on how his pillars of destiny should be interpreted.

We are currently living in a period of fire years: last year was governed by the Yi Si pillar (symbolized by the Wood Snake, in which fire is generated), 2026 is under the Bing Wu pillar (the Fire Horse), and the following year will be ruled by Ding Wei (the Fire Goat). Because Trump’s energies influence the entire world, we are looking for a way to determine which elements are favorable or unfavorable for him. Specifically, we are interested in whether the fire element is beneficial or detrimental in his case. This question offers strong insight into the likelihood of whether his second presidential term will be successful.

I haven’t been deeply involved in Chinese astrology for years, and for more detailed information about this system I recommend studying with experienced practitioners. Many good (and not-so-good) books have also been published, which is a major advantage compared to the time when I first encountered this method. Although I’ve never explored all the intricacies of Bazi, I do have some knowledge of the approach, so I’ll allow myself to conduct a brief analysis of how Trump’s pillars of destiny function.

Trump’s personal element is Ji, or yin earth, which is strongly supported by additional earth and very strong fire. Under normal circumstances, Ji earth represents fertile, moist soil; however, in Trump’s chart there is not enough water, so this reinforced Ji instead represents more of a desert with sand dunes. The wind may scatter some of the sand, but such a large quantity of Ji earth is highly resilient and retains its desert-like essence.

Within the earthly branches Si, Wei, Wu, and Xu, we find the combination of Wu and Xu (a partial trine), as well as the combination of Si, Wu, and Wei (a directional combination), both of which generate additional fire. We also see the Wu – Wei combination (one of the Six Combinations aka. Liu He), which produces a “sixth element” (secondary fire). In the upper stems of the day and hour pillars, we find Ji (yin earth), forming what is known as the “Double Self,” which significantly strengthens the personal element.

The chart also contains a full combination between the Ji Wei and Jia Wu pillars, bringing personal strength and favorable development. In addition, the day stem Ji (yin earth) has hidden support from earth within the monthly branch Wu, while the month stem Jia (yang wood) has hidden support from wood within the day pillar. Earth energy is also exchanged crosswise between the heavenly stems and earthly branches of the hour and day pillars, indicating an ability to form alliances. This also contributes to a special relationship with his children.

Regardless of whether fire and earth are favorable or not, the “Double Self” further emphasizes a strong connection with his children. It is also worth noting that his personal pillar, Ji Wei (Earth Goat), belongs to the so-called “Six Talented Pillars” (Liu Xiu Ri), which gives him the potential to achieve fame and prosperity—provided the rest of the chart supports it.

The absence of water as the wealth element may therefore not be a problem, since a “No Wealth Situation” often creates the potential for wealth—such a person can acquire money and keep it hidden. Donald Trump has the “Golden Treasury” star (Jin Kui) present in the Wu branch, which can bring financial gain. Some argue that a clash or combination cancels out this star’s financial potential. The idea is likely that wealth needs to remain safely concealed, while clashes or combinations expose it.

However, special stars (Shen Sha) are generally derived in two ways: through relationships between elements or through positional relationships of the earthly branches. The “Golden Treasury” belongs to the latter category, which raises the question of whether its financial potential can truly disappear in a clash or combination. Moreover, the directional combination of Si, Wu, and Wei is also said to cancel out the effects of the “Prosperity” star (Lu) in the Si branch and the “Hidden Prosperity” (An Lu) in the day branch Wei. But is that really the case here? Or could such a combination instead represent a merging of financial potentials and the flow of wealth back and forth?

In any case, Trump’s pillars contain another important star—the “Monthly Nobleman” (Yuede Guiren) in the year stem Bing. This structure is significantly strengthened by the directional combination of Si, Wu, and Wei. This star grants him strong protection and considerable luck in life.

Although Ji earth is typically quite diplomatic, Trump’s chart includes the “Sword Star” (Yang Ren in Si and Wei), which is active and gives him a sharp edge. He also has the “General’s Star,” which further reinforces this quality. Trump is certainly not someone who is easily intimidated by his opponents.

Some practitioners of the Four Pillars system prefer not to rely on the wide array of these so-called “stars” or “spirits” (Shen Sha), and instead focus primarily on the basic “Ten Gods,” which represent the relationship between the yin or yang versions of the elements and the personal element. Trump’s chart seems to fall under the “Unconventional Resource” type (“Unconventional Resource” being one of the Ten Gods), which gives him an unconventional nature and, due to the strong earth, a highly challenging or provocative character. It is also possible that Bing, as the sole aspect of fire in the celestial stems, redirects part of the fire element from the earthly combination of Si-Wu-Wei toward its yang polarity.

There are three main ways practitioners interpret his chart. It may be a standard “Unconventional Resource” structure with a strong personal earth element; it may be a special structure known as “Child with Many Mothers”; or it may be a special structure dominated by earth.

Many would classify this chart as a dominant earth structure—that is, a special type of chart. This is how the late Master Jerry King interpreted Trump’s pillars. All of the pillars are saturated with fire and earth; wood appears only in the month stem Jia and in smaller amounts in the day branch Wei. However, this wood largely fuels the fire and indirectly further strengthens the fire–earth structure.

In such a dominant earth structure, the favorable elements are fire and earth, with metal—and possibly even wood—being partially beneficial. Water would be unfavorable, as in special or non-standard structures the focus is not on achieving temperature balance. The absence of water as the wealth element would therefore not be problematic. In a special structure, a “No Wealth situation“ very likely brings wealth. If the dominant earth interpretation is correct, the main remaining question would be whether this is a true dominant type or a somewhat lower-quality “fake dominant type”.

In the second case, this could represent the special “Child with Many Mothers” structure, since the “Double Self” appears as the only active earth element. All the other prominent elements—except for Jia—are fire. This would suggest a chart that grants a talent for working with information and excellent intuition. In such a structure, the favorable elements are fire and wood, while earth, metal, and water are unfavorable.

This “Child with Many Mothers” interpretation is supported by Master Lily Chung, one of the most insightful interpreters of destiny analysis. Her distinctive approach is that she does not focus on the strength of elements within the chart, but instead seeks to identify the flow of energy through the pillars. She also calculates certain pillars using the lunar (and not solar) calendar.

It is worth noting that a true “Child with Many Mothers” structure is itself a special configuration—one so strong that it significantly alters how elements function as favorable or unfavorable. In this case, earth would be unfavorable, while fire would be highly favorable.

In the third case, we would be dealing with a strong but conventional earth structure with an “Unconventional Resource” (Pian Yin). In standard chart types, maintaining temperature balance becomes very important. Under this interpretation, fire would likely be considered the least favorable element, followed by earth—since even Ji earth (fertile soil) can turn into dry, desert-like ground under such conditions, especially when it is excessive.

Water would be the most favorable element, followed by metal (which generates water), while wood might be more neutral or even somewhat unfavorable. This approach is used by Master Lillian Too of Malaysia, who is also known for calculating pillars according to the lunar calendar. According to her, fire and earth are unfavorable for Trump, while metal, water, and wood are favorable elements.

There are several reasons why this chart could indeed represent a conventional strong earth type. In particular, the earthly branches compete with one another to determine which combination will dominate. First, the partial fire combination between Wu and Xu is activated. However, the relatively strong combination between the Ji Wei and Jia Wu pillars in the earthly branches produces a “sixth element.” Finally, the directional combination attempts to assert itself.

As a result, the potential for combinations is dispersed, which reduces the overall amount of additional fire (wherever it may form). Moreover, this “secondary” fire does not have exactly the same quality as regular fire. At the same time, there is so much earth hidden within the chart that it raises the question of whether it can truly be classified as a “Child with Many Mothers” structure. This dispersion of competing influences may be enough to prevent the chart from transforming into a special structure. The “No Wealth situation” can still indicate the potential to accumulate wealth.

The differences in favorable and unfavorable elements across all three interpretations are so significant that, under such circumstances, the only remaining option is to examine Trump’s personal history.

The father is represented by the elements Gui and Jia, which suggests a person with ideas and—at least from Trump’s perspective—likely also a figure of authority and wealth. From this, we can infer that either water or wood may be favorable elements for Trump.

Furthermore, Donald Trump has a large number of supporters as well as many opponents; he is capable of generating extreme polarization in public opinion. Some people follow him almost blindly, while others constantly attack him. The element that represents both opponents and allies is primarily the personal element—in this case, earth. Given that the crosswise exchange of energies in his chart, along with the combination of the day and month pillars, creates opportunities for generally positive relationships with those close to him, earth may be considered a challenging element. But his confrontational nature may also stem from the “Unconventional Resource” (Pian Yin) structure and the presence of the Sword Star.

A third interesting point is that Trump inherited his involvement in real estate from his father. The exchange of earth elements within his pillars indicates that real estate does indeed represent an opportunity for him. However, this is a specific internal structure of the chart and does not necessarily mean that earth is otherwise a favorable element for him.

As President of the United States, operating during a period of global power transition from the U.S. to China—and in years dominated by stronger fire energy—fire is also likely to be considered a challenging element in his chart.

Based on these basic observations, we arrive at a tentative conclusion that this is most likely a conventional “Unconventional Resource” type with a strong personal earth element, where earth and fire are challenging elements, while water and metal are favorable. To gain a more precise understanding, we also need to examine the basic progression of his life path through the ten-year and five-year luck pillars.

His early business years were not the most successful. In the 1970s, the Bing Shen luck pillar first comes into play. The Shen branch, which governs the early 1970s, is metallic, but together with the Si branch it also forms a partial fire punishment. Therefore, this period should be approached with caution, and we should avoid drawing conclusions too quickly at the outset of the analysis.

This is followed by the Ding You pillar. The fire stem Ding dominates roughly the years 1974–1978, while You becomes more influential later. The early years were not particularly successful (though still moderately so), while the later metal years of You were much more favorable. The earthly branch You becomes dominant from around 1979 onward, marking the beginning of Trump’s most favorable period. From this, we can conclude that metal is a favorable element for him.

The next major pillar is Wu Xu. This is a Fui Gong pillar, which brings special power and influence but also acts as a transformational vortex—turning favorable elements into unfavorable ones and vice versa. This vortex creates a strong pull that can even shift the time boundaries within which a pillar operates. Trump’s favorable period continues during this phase, suggesting that earth is actually an unfavorable element that Fui Gong transforms into favorable influences. The effect of Fui Gong is further strengthened by the year Wu Chen (1988), which also carries Fui Gong characteristics.

This favorable period appears to end around 1991–1992, when the Wu Xu Fui Gong begins to draw in the influence of the next pillar, Ji Hai (approximately 1991–2004). The early years were more difficult and influenced by earth (Ji). The year 1991, under the Xin Wei pillar, emphasizes a partial earth punishment (San Xing). That year, Trump experienced the bankruptcy of the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.

These energies likely also negatively affected the following year under the Ren Shen pillar. Shen (although metallic in nature), together with Si, forms a fire punishment, and combined with the earth influences of Ji, this brought Trump the bankruptcy of the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. From this, we can infer that fire and earth are unfavorable elements for him, since “San Xing” (the Three Punishments) tends to manifest as hardship particularly when it occurs within unfavorable elements (fire in the Yin–Si–Shen punishments, and earth in the Wei–Xu–Chou punishments). The later years of the Ji Hai pillar are influenced by water, but water is not strong enough to overcome the powerful fire structure in Trump’s chart.

In 2004, the Geng Zi pillar begins. The year 2004 itself is especially complex to interpret. It is governed by the Jia Shen year pillar, while the longer cycle is Geng. The fire stem Bing and wood stem Jia from the natal chart appear to weaken the metal Geng. In the Jia Shen year, Jia repeats in the stems, while Shen forms a partial fire punishment with Si. That year, Jia and Bing effectively clashed away the metal Geng element. Trump experienced the bankruptcy of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts, which suggests that fire is not favorable for him, while metal is.

In 2009, the Ji Chou pillar brought strong earth influences, which, together with Wei and Xu, formed a complete set of earth punishments. That year, Trump experienced the bankruptcy of Trump Entertainment Resorts, further indicating that earth is an unfavorable element for him.

Between 2004 and 2018, metal and water elements are consistently present. These elements also contributed to his media resurgence through the television show The Apprentice (2004–2015), where his famous slogan “You’re fired!” originated. During this time, the “Trump” brand was significantly strengthened.

During the Xin Chou period (2014–2024), Trump reaches his peak and then experiences a temporary decline. Under the influence of the metal Xin and the metal years 2016–2018, he won the presidential election and successfully navigated the first part of his term—again indicating that metal is a favorable element. The heavenly stem Xin forms a combination with Bing.

In the later part of his term, Chou becomes more active, forming earth punishments together with Xu and Wei. Trump faced the COVID-19 pandemic and was unsuccessful in his bid for re-election. Although the year 2020 carried water influence, raising the question of whether water was acting favorably, it is possible that the Zi branch was not strong enough to control the fire in his natal chart.

What can be stated with more certainty is that earth is an unfavorable element for him, as the following years brought significant pressure and legal challenges. The wood years of 2022 and 2023 also appear to have been unfavorable, possibly because wood further fueled the fire.

In the fall of 2024, Trump entered the ten-year Ren Yin cycle, where the early years are dominated primarily by water, which brought him electoral victory. From this, we can conclude that water is a favorable element for him.

The year 2024 itself was governed by the Jia Chen pillar. Chen clashes with Xu from his natal pillars, and in that clash, earth becomes compressed. In addition, the first part of the year still falls under the ten-year Xin Chou cycle, so the earthly branches Xu and Chou also form partial earth punishments. This likely represents the part of his energy associated with strong political opponents (unfavorable earth). Jia is wood, which can act as a form of pressure on Ji earth.

During that year, there was also an assassination attempt on Trump during the campaign. In his chart, he has the “White Tiger” (Bai Hu) star in the month pillar, the “Heavenly Dog” (Tian Gou) in the hour pillar, and an active “Sword Star” in both the day and hour pillars—making him more exposed to such events during unfavorable periods. This is especially relevant after the age of 50, when the influence of the hour pillar traditionally becomes stronger, although some modern interpretations shift this threshold closer to age 60. Trump, being older, already has a strongly activated Sword Star in combination with the Heavenly Dog in his hour pillar.

In any case, by the fall of 2024, the ten-year cycle had shifted into the Ren Yin period, and the earth punishments subsided.

Based on this life-path analysis, I draw the following conclusions:

• Earth is his most unfavorable element
• Fire is also unfavorable most of the time
• Wood appears to act as a slightly unfavorable transformer of energies, ultimately strengthening fire and then earth
• Water and metal appear to be favorable elements

The overall conclusion is therefore:

• The idea that Trump’s chart represents a dominant earth structure—where earth and fire would be favorable—is invalid
• The idea that this is a “Child with Many Mothers” structure is also invalid, since fire is mostly unfavorable for him
• The most consistent interpretation is that his chart represents (most of the time) a very strong personal earth supported by fire—i.e., a standard chart in which metal and water are favorable, while fire and earth are unfavorable. Since wood supports fire, it is somewhat unfavorable as well

Based on this, we can now look at Trump’s second term. At present, Trump is in a period influenced by the five-year dominance of the water stem Ren, which brings favorable effects. At the same time, 2025 is a demanding year due to strengthening fire influences. The years 2026 and 2027 are even more challenging, as they bring a very strong concentration of fire, which can lead to imbalance and health issues (for example, problems related to the heart, brain, blood, or blood pressure).

This fire influence appears somewhat stronger and more intense than the supportive water of Ren. In the background, there is also a weak presence of the Yin branch (symbolized by the Tiger), which together with Si already forms partial fire punishments.

Yin (the Tiger) represents the East, while fire represents the South, deserts, plastics, fertilizers, electronics, food, energy resources, and even traditional stock markets. Unfortunately, it is also associated with blood. The element of fire is ruled by the planet Mars, traditionally considered the planet of war.

Unfavorable fire manifests as Mars-like or terrestrial threats—such as tensions involving Denmark, Panama, and Canada; an attack on Venezuela (which was successful but occurred in winter, when water energies are stronger); an attack on Iran; and threats toward Cuba. By aligning with Israel and attacking Iran, Trump has strongly activated imbalanced fire energies in his chart.

Because the influence of his chart extends across the United States and even globally, this may manifest as a “desert crisis”, war with Iran, the destruction of desalination plants, an energy crisis, and potentially future crises involving fertilizers, food, microchips, and electronics. During this term, Trump may struggle a lot to repair the damage caused by the outbreak of a U.S.–Iran conflict. Still, we can hope for the best.

The years 2027 and 2028 are also linked to fire and earth. In 2028, Wu earth sits on the Shen branch, which—despite its metal base—forms a fire punishment together with Si. That year also draws in the Yin branch (the Tiger), representing the East and China. At the latest by then, major tensions between Trump and China could arise. These punishments are fiery. Fire corresponds to the South or desert. For China, fire may symbolize Taiwan. For the world, it may represent Iran, Israel, and the broader Arab region.

Unfavorable fire can also manifest as explosions of all kinds, aerial warfare, and firearms. The seasons that support fire are the “Chinese spring” (wood: February, March, April), followed by the “Chinese summer” (fire: May, June, July), and late summer extending into early Shen month (August).

Wood influences began strengthening in February 2026. February itself—marking the beginning of the Iran conflict—corresponds to the Yin branch, which can initiate fire punishments. In the early months, there are fortunately still supportive metal and water influences present. However, conditions become more unfavorable around May and June 2026, and even more so in July 2026.

This does not necessarily mean a continuation of the U.S.–Iran war (although it is quite possible). If that conflict does not continue, Trump may instead face other burdens—perhaps a resulting energy crisis or something similar.

Where do we find balance in Trump’s chart? In water and metal. This means the situation is not entirely black and white, as his longer-term cycle still includes supportive water influences. His Iran-related actions may shake both the U.S. and the world, but may not lead to total collapse.

Water and metal are also, in a sense, geographical elements of the United States itself. We can see that in some areas Trump is aligning with his favorable elements (tariffs, protection of the southern border), but moderation is of key importance. Tariff protection may only be reasonable up to about 10–15% of goods’ value, and the U.S. might also be better protected through other means—such as investing in education and major national projects.

It is also important to recognize that a moderate inflow of immigrants provides the workforce that helps sustain American strength. In this case, it is precisely Trump’s own “domestic” elements—fire and earth—that present the problem. Metal and water extend beyond borders, representing another dimension of these elements. In Trump’s chart, they symbolize foreigners, not just the United States itself.

Perhaps this is also why he chose two wives from abroad. His first wife was Czech, and his current wife is Slovenian. Both, however, come from Eastern Europe, which lies east of the United States. The East corresponds to the element of wood, which acts as a mediator between foreign and domestic environments.

In any case, foreigners as a workforce contribute to wealth, which in Trump’s chart is again represented by water. Water also corresponds to the North (Canada), while metal represents the West and, more broadly, the white race. It is not advisable to attack favorable elements (Canada, Greenland, foreigners as generators of wealth), as this further aggravates the imbalance of excessive earth and fire in Trump’s chart. Water is absorbed by wood, which in turn fuels fire. Wood represents the East, and wood that absorbs water corresponds more specifically to the Northeast—namely Russia.

Admiration for Putin’s Russia weakens both the United States and Trump’s energetic balance. Of course, much depends on Russia’s leadership, but in terms of the “global dynamics” of Trump’s chart, Russia as the Northeast ultimately supports the South. The “South” of Russia includes China, Iran, and India.

Europe, however, is influenced not only by the West (and partly, from the U.S. perspective, the East), but is also strongly associated with earth. In fact, Europe and Africa—not China—could be seen as the true Zhong Guo (“Middle Kingdom”) of the world. At the same time, Europe represents an eastern direction (wood) for Trump. Since earth partially generates metal, Europe is not energetically unfavorable for him, although it would be advisable for him to maintain a neutral and somewhat distanced relationship with it.

Given all of the above—and considering the actions already taken—it seems unlikely that Trump will successfully complete a second presidential term. If he remains in good health and adopts a strong strategy… perhaps. But it would require significant effort. More likely, he will be remembered in history as the figure who ultimately awakened the Asian tiger. Astrological planetary transitions between 2026 and 2032 point toward China rising to global dominance.

What advice could be offered to Trump? It seems that walking in northern, western, or northwestern directions would be beneficial, as well as residing in the northern, western, or northwestern part of a settlement. In this regard, consulting a Feng Shui practitioner would certainly be advisable. Water environments (lakes, rivers, sea) are also favorable for him.

According to Bazi, his personal colors (for clothing and bedding, but NOT for interior walls) are white, gray, dark blue, and black. He should avoid deserts, Arab regions, the colors red, yellow, and brown, as well as southern, southwestern, and northeastern directions. It is also not ideal for him to remain in one place for extended periods.

From a perspective of Chaldean numerology, his number five is associated with white and very light gray. His numbers six, three, and four share a foundation in blue, while four and five also share light gray. Trump is fortunate in that both systems point to overlapping beneficial colors—namely white, light gray, and dark blue.