The cult of Trump
What does Republican hatred for Ukraine, love of Vladimir Putin, love of Russia, and tolerance of Kim Jong un all have in common? The answer is, of course, Donald Trump. A certain segment of the American population, mostly Republicans, love what he loves, hate what he hates and are ambivalent about what he’s ambivalent about.
I think there’s a reason for this and it reveals something disappointing about human beings. Trump is an authoritarian bigot and Republicans love him because their brains are wired that way and there’s nothing that anyone can do about it. Republicans desire security, predictability and authority more than liberals do, where liberals are more comfortable with novelty and nuanced complexity. Because Republican antipathies and priorities are so easily manipulated by someone like Donald Trump, they will even violate their core beliefs to please him. This proclivity can emerge later in surprising ways.
Compare and contrast Putin and Kim, for example. Many Trump Republicans are almost unanimous in their irrational willingness to defend Putin. But with Kim they are more ambivalent. Why? Because it’s been clear since “Trump descended the escalator” that Vladimir Putin is one of his heroes. Throughout his presidency he has defended, promoted and admired Putin. He still refuses to condemn Putin unequivocally for his invasion of Ukraine. And, of course, Putin helped Trump win the presidency in 2016.
Kim, on the other hand, began as “Rocket Man” and someone Trump intended to rain “fire and fury” down upon, and later morphed into someone Trump quickly “fell in love” with. Because the message became mixed, Republicans are ambivalent about Kim. They don’t know what to think about him.
The current Trump Republican hatred for Ukraine is a product of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s refusal to announce (but not actually carry out) an investigation into Hunter Biden. So they hate Zelenskyy for not helping Trump, and their hatred extends to the nation and people of Ukraine itself. It really is that irrational.
This Republican defection to Russia is surprising, to say the least. Russia used to be Ronald Reagan’s “Evil Empire.” From the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, Russia was the bete noire of Republicans, and supporters of Russian Marxism were vilified and persecuted by Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy and his followers.
You have to be a cultist in the first place to follow a cult leader. Cults are about tyranny and, as such, they are ideal vehicles for people who favor authoritarianism. Republicans are notoriously authoritarian. Donald Trump, a perfectly vile, uncouth and unattractive person was able to satisfy their need because he’s so openly racist and authoritarian. So even a shameless braggart and fool can become a cult leader if he says the right things. Once he’s a cult leader of the easily led, suddenly his loves become their loves and his hates become their hates.
One only needs to know the lesson of Jonestown to know how dangerous a malignant cult leader can be. The truly worrisome thing is, even though Trump is losing power, the cult of Trump appears to be gaining in strength. This alone should motivate everyone to get to the polls in 2022 and 2024, because the day America is ruled by the cult of Trump will be the day America is finished. And, as ever, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, comrades and friends, stay safe.
Robert Harrington is an American expat living in Britain. He is a portrait painter.