Donald Trump has one personal failing that always seems to get him into trouble: that legendary big mouth of his.
I have said for years something is wrong with Trump – that no one could act that crazy and be taken seriously – but what do I know?
And, as crazy as it sounds, that big mouth also made him President of the United States.
Americans Want to Be Entertained
Donald Trump’s rise seems part of a much bigger problem: the collective decline of American culture.
In any sane universe, Donald Trump would be a non-factor in U.S. politics. But he remains a force because Americans can’t get enough of his crazy antics.
What will he do next?
What will he say next?
And where did Trump get these antics: from his time in pro wrestling.
You got it, like Hulk Hogan-style pro-wrestling.
As Salon explained back in 2015:
Of course, most Americans are probably now most likely to associate Trump with his maddening and ridiculous, yet unexpectedly ascendant, campaign for president. And yet, believe it or not, his time spent in the world of professional wrestling is invaluable for understanding the path he has cut through the GOP primary field — because the playbook employed by Trump over the past several months bears an uncanny resemblance to the storytelling and character-building stratagem of professional wrestling. One could even be forgiven for concluding that Trump is directly calling on his knowledge and love of the performance art to create one of the most captivating — and entertaining — political stories of recent vintage.
I look at it this way: Americans, in many respects, are done with politics thanks to the last nearly quarter century. 9/11, the wars that came after 9/11, the Great Recession, the rise of Donald Trump, and the pandemic have the nation collectively burnt out. Who they will choose as commander and chief next year is anyone’s guess.
But knowing they want to be entertained, I would say Trump is in the driver seat. More to come on this topic, as I am just getting warmed up on this concept of Trump using him time in pro wrestling to win the Oval Office.
Harry J. Kazianis (@Grecianformula) is a Senior Editor for 19FortyFive and serves as President and CEO of Rogue States Project, a bipartisan national security think tank. He has held senior positions at the Center for the National Interest, the Heritage Foundation, the Potomac Foundation, and many other think tanks and academic institutions focused on defense issues. He served on the Russia task force for U.S. Presidential Candidate Senator Ted Cruz, and in a similar role in the John Hay Initiative. His ideas have been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, CNN, CNBC, and many other outlets across the political spectrum. He holds a graduate degree in International Relations from Harvard University and is the author of the book The Tao of A2/AD, a study of Chinese military modernization. Kazianis also has a background in defense journalism, having served as Editor-In-Chief at The Diplomat and Executive Editor for the National Interest.
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