The appeal of Donald Trump may confuse many, but it is clear that Trump supporters are ready to see a change in American society. They wish for someone to defend them and their concerns. They believe Donald Trump is the man for the job, the one who will defend and “protect” them. Trump has found success in capitalizing on people’s fears, and his narcissism continues to translate to comfort and confidence.
This comfort is unusual, but it is clear that it comes directly from people’s desire for security. Many Americans simply do not feel safe. This lack of security could be from looming economic threats, such as job loss, or from threats abroad (national security). David Berg, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine observes that “for many voters, perceived threats to their security are coming from both inside their group (changing demographics, wall street greed, and immigration) and outside their group (ISIS, China, etc.)” (NYT). Trump supporters are looking to feel safe in any and every aspect of their lives. They fear loss of jobs to immigrants. They struggle to pay their bills. They fear the terror in the Middle East. They see their lives at risk under the threat of ISIS. They want to “Make America Great Again”. These Americans feel the need for a strong minded individual to protect and defend the security they hold so dear. To them, Trump is that individual.
Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan appeals to voters with legitimate reasons to fear their security and desire change. People believe in his love for this country, and trust him to protect it. In a photo survey done by USA Today, Amy Honeycut from Louisiana states:
“I want to vote for Trump because what appeals to me about him is that Trump loves America and wants to take America back from the grips of radical Islamic terrorists.” (USA today).
Despite many doubts, Trump has a strong network of supporters. The attraction of Donald Trump is depicted through the United States of Anxiety, a podcast produced by WNYC studios, that describes our country today. Patti Dwyer, from Suffolk County, Long Island, speaks in favor of Trump.
Similarly to the attractiveness of his background, there is something in Trump’s persona that appeals to longingness for security in voters. His statements are strong and he seems to never back down, whether it be regarding a personal or national issue. Joseph Burgo, author of “The Narcissist You Know,” a story about the self obsessed and potentially harmful age we live in, says that
“For many people, Trump’s braggadocio, contempt and grandiosity come across as self-confident strength. When frightened by dangers from abroad or here at home, many people gravitate to the ‘strong man’ who promises to vanquish their fears and confusion” (NYT).
Trump is very strong on increasing military strength to keep Americans safe and constantly claims that he will be the one to take down ISIS. His message says that he will always protect Americans, because “He responds aggressively to every attack, no matter how minor, conveying the sense that he will also aggressively protect his voters” (The Atlantic). Trump reacts to even minor slights. His strong minded personality is evident in the way he speaks about threats to American safety. To many his personality seems able to conquer the task of protecting Americans.
Trump is a unique presidential choice. His background is in business, and he is not the usual American politician. His being has even inspired an entirely new theory known as Trumpism. “Trumpism is an expression of the legitimate anger that many Americans feel about the course that the country has taken” (WSJ). Americans want to see something change and “Trump appeals to the anger, discontent and sense of entrapment that plague contemporary voters” (NYT). They find appeal in the man himself. Trump represents a movement, he is the image of an attack on the status quo. People are angry, they are afraid, they want to feel secure. Trump says he wants to change the country, and people want this change with him.
John Gartner, professor of psychiatry at John Hopkins medical school finds that “Trump makes white-working class voters feel safe” (NYT). Everyone knows how Trump feels about immigration, he believes immigrants are using resources and more importantly taking American jobs. Since 2008, the country has been on the rebound from a recession, and though improvement is visible Americans are still struggling. For too long Americans have felt insecure in our economy and many believe he is the man for the job. Voters are concerned, Trump voter Steve Horn, another participant in the USA today survey, from Georgia says:
“We got to get back together and bring these jobs back to the United States. I’ve watched jobs go to Mexico. I’ve watched people be out of work that sewed for half their life and now there is nowhere left for them to work”.
Another reason Americans feel insecure is because they fear losing their jobs, and making money to support their families. Trump has done a lot of work to prove to blue collar workers that he wants to help them. For this reason, many believe that Trump can fix their security problems within the economy.
In a recent poll taken of residents of Larchmont-Mamaroneck in Westchester county, the results showed that whether or not people personally supported Trump, they could understand how Trump could appeal to a desire for security.
Trump voter Michael McCoy from North Carolina says that his support for Trump is derived from Trump’s ability to “Make us feel safe” (USA today). Is it his claim to create more jobs by attacking immigration? His strong stance and confident being? Could he be the real person to take down ISIS? Guess we just have to wait and see.
