Even if one remains firmly distant from the news and what it has to offer, all it takes is a quick scroll through your recent social media feeds to observe the increasingly concerning political climate of the USA. The year kicked off with the unending struggle between US President Biden and former-President Trump over who gets to sit in the White House next term, then switched over to new candidate Vice-President Harris following Biden’s abysmal performance in the first US presidential debate…and more recently, a baffling second debate in which Trump suggests, with confidence, that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were “eating the cats” of residents.
It is not our place to judge the politics of the USA, nor the people who participate in it. But watching the spectacle that has unfolded over the past couple years has raised many questions about how and why scenes straight out of television dramas have been allowed to appear again. And again. And again. In this article, we aim to analyze the US political scene and how, in the last couple years, it has created a stage worthy of the finest actors to play their roles to an eager audience.
In this day and age, US Presidents have carved their name into history in their own respective ways, figures larger than life that draw support and contempt in equal measure. But even among their ranks, it is safe to say that no one will ever forget former President Donald Trump. And how could we? A man mired in controversy yet still favored by legions of ardent supporters. The Capitol Riots. Being impeached not once, but twice. Running for president once more with disconcerting promises to turn the USA into a military state. Experiencing attempts on his life, not once, but twice. And yet, despite being considered one of the worst Presidents in American history (see C-SPAN “Presidential Historians Survey 2021 and Gallup’s annual poll), despite actively campaigning with anti-immigrant rhetoric and misleading statements, his support base remains as strong as ever.
Why? Why is it that a man who has managed to build falsehoods into his political identity still has a good chance at securing another presidential term? Well, the answer is a tad bit complicated, but can be summarised in one word, “attention”. Trump took the reins at the beginning of what could be considered the worst decade in modern history. We have witnessed a global pandemic, watch growing tensions on all sides of the world and have gotten so used to it that one almost expects something new and equally terrible to occur with each passing year. In this day and age, people need something to latch onto, no matter how small or foolish it may be. And Trump gave the American people a focus.
By pointing the blame at immigrants and proudly voicing racist and misogynistic views, he has emboldened those who would normally hide such views through his identity as the President. And by weathering the criticism his opinions have garnered and coming out undefeated, Trump has managed to elevate the status of himself in his followers’ minds time and time again. It would not even be too far of a stretch to assume some people may even consider him a messiah-like figure. The former president, at his core, is a showman. People may vote for him for his ability to lead as a President, but even more support him due to his image. And Trump knows this. Say something loud enough, and long enough, and eventually people will start believing you. If enough people believe you…then you can change the world. It may sound ludicrous, but one must remember that Trump pretty much orchestrated a riot and got away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
Trump raises his fist and projects an image of defiance after being shot in the ear.
Image Credits: APNews
A more prominent example of this showmanship is his reactions to his brush with death in the month of June. Despite being shot and wounded in his upper right ear, the former president’s first reaction after the shooter was killed was not to flee or seek medical treatment, but to turn the whole thing into a spectacle. The iconic photograph of him pumping his fist in the air even as blood ran down his face would spread like wildfire afterwards, seen as “encapsulating strength, resilience, patriotism.” And the results speak for themselves. Trump Media and Technology Group shares soared 31% post-shooting, and other stocks linked to Trump saw similar surges. Trump became the top trending topic on Twitter (or X, if you prefer) within hours. In a moment, he managed to turn an attempt on his life into a publicity campaign.
People devour stories, with a particular taste for the unconventional. It is why we find interest in fictional tragedy, or the endless reruns of dime-a-dozen television dramas. It may not be the first time a political figure has made use of their personal image to shape public opinion, but Trump has made an art out of his ability to do so. The news has always thrived on the sensational, the dramatic, and it should be no surprise that this tried-and-true strategy has bled into elements of our society that once held such topics at a distance.
Politics. Just another stage, but with quite the cast of actors.
References
C-SPAN. (2021). 2021 presidential survey. https://www.c-span.org/presidentsurvey2021/?page=overall
Economist. (2024, July 18). Donald Trump: Messiah or naughty boy? https://www.economist.com/1843/2024/07/18/donald-trump-messiah-or-naughty-boy
Gallup. (n.d.). Presidential job approval center. https://news.gallup.com/interactives/507569/presidential-job-approval-center.aspx
The Conversation. (2024). A bloodied, defiant Trump could become the defining image of the US election. https://theconversation.com/a-bloodied-defiant-trump-could-become-the-defining-image-of-the-us-election-234629
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