S1E1 — The Trump Affair
This story was originally published at Pilot Season on May 5, 2016 as the first installment in a series on extremism and radicals.
On January 20, 2017, Donald Trump will assume the presidency of the United States of America. With the world watching, the oath will be sworn and succeeded by some sweeping speech, with his trademark slogan — “Make America Great Again!” — thrown in for good measure. Cue the cheers, the tears and the silence of a great many still stunned that he actually made it. Following the inauguration, President Trump will undoubtedly proceed to practice what he preached. Steps will be taken seeing to the return of millions of illegal immigrants, the restriction of Muslims trying to enter the country, the appointment of a new Supreme Court Justice and — let’s not forget — the building of that great, great wall (courtesy of the Mexican government). And so will begin the presidency of Donald J. Trump.
For many, the idea of this is inexplicable; a notion to laugh at, not linger on. How could this bombastic billionaire assume the presidency, and who would take him seriously? Those same people, I suspect, dismissed the man when he announced his run for candidacy in June 2015. Yet jump forward a year from then and what is inexplicable is how far Trump has come. From a herd of more than fifteen candidates, Donald Trump has survived and succeeded to become the presumed Republican nominee.
What might be surprising, however, is how unsurprising it is that Trump has come this far. In a nation where over 70% of the people are dissatisfied and angry at the government, Trump’s bluntness comes with a refreshing appeal. Here he is: an outsider among career politicians who lambastes career politicians; a man so far removed from the image of a politician that he’s able to be brutish and brash without much consequence (apart from condemnation by critics). And of his misogyny and racism? Offensive as they are, some might claim they add to his charm — that this is a man who can be so offensively honest because he has little political points to lose. Just as the charismatic characters of Barack Obama or Justin Trudeau won the hearts of many, so too does the coarse character of Donald Trump win hearts (and votes) across America.
“What might be surprising, however, is how unsurprising it is that Trump has come this far.”
Donald Trump has tapped into a certain anger and frustration with the status quo. And seeing the frustration with the grid-lock caused by bureaucracy, the establishment and political correctness, Trump emerges as a politically incorrect outsider, dismissing bureaucracy and using what is essentially extortion and threats as negotiating tactics.
This is no farce either. This is no long con Trump is playing until he wins, after which he’ll mellow down and back away from his radical plans. The pillars of his campaign — a hard line against illegal immigration, a protective stance against Muslims, an aggressive campaign to retain American jobs — are too solidified for him to double-back on them. Trump will build a wall in some form or another, for he has no choice not to without being stoned for hypocrisy (not that he pays much heed to his critics) and deserted by his legions. Thus, instead of laughing his populist proclamations off, perhaps it is time to take him seriously (read: taking someone seriously does not necessarily translate to supporting them).
More than just looking at Trump with wary eyes, it is worth considering his ideological peers across the world too. The rhetoric espoused by Trump is nothing particularly new. Figures like the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, or Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, are promoting similar jingoistic, nationalistic and protectionist ideals. They belong to a radical right movement that is stamping down on immigration and focused on uplifting their own citizens (at the expense of others), and in America, Trump is a prime mover of this radical revitalization of nationalist principles.
“This is no long con Trump is playing until he wins, after which he’ll mellow down and back away from his radical plans.”
Trump’s rise to fame (or, further fame) within the Republican contest was always a certainty. In a landscape of anger, those who feel that their voices aren’t loud enough would inevitably find appeal in the man who could shout, insult and condemn on the presidential stage (albeit, with a uniquely Trumpian flair). It is time to stop shrugging him off, no matter what chance he may have against the Democratic nominee, and start considering that, when he spouts claims like:
“I will build a great wall — and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me — and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”
— he really does mean it.
