In the topsy-turvy world of contemporary American politics, the silent majority of Americans feel less and less represented by the Washington, D.C. elite—an elite that appears to have lost touch with the aspirations, the fears, and the struggles of average Americans. Among these ‘forgotten constituents’ emerges a strong yearning for an outsider—a Washington non-member who speaks to their hearts and understands their needs. A rare breed of leader who is not card-carrying member of the buttoned-up D.C political club. And that’s where the appeal for President Donald J. Trump lies.
Trump, a man without political pedigree, stormed the echelons of power with his unorthodox and often inflammatory rhetoric. He connected with the common American because he was not of the same stock as their perceived oppressors—the Washington elite. As president, he showed what it meant to be authentic, unpredictable and an unvarnished representation of Americana. His approach, his tone, and his decisions may not have always perfectly aligned with the traditional conservative values, but his appeal to the masses remained unhindered. It was, in fact, bolstered by every attempt to remove him, silence him, and cage him.
Let’s not mince words. Conservatives disagree with Trump’s views on women and his less traditional and varied moral compass. His business background taxes the tolerance of some, given his dealings with the murky side of the business world. His past entanglements with porn stars and loose, often disrespectful, talks about women have been deeply disappointing. Yet, it is a testament to the frustration with the status quo that conservatives continue to rally behind him.
The clamoring for political cleansing—an outsider to govern us and drain the swamp—seems to be falling on deaf ears at the Republicans’ headquarters. As the established power circles on both sides of the aisle attempt to prevent another Trump run, his popularity only surges. His second arrest painted him more as a martyr than a wrongdoer, rightly or wrongly, placing him once again at the center of the conservatives’ rallying cry.
What is even more alarming for the average American is President Biden’s allegedly weaponized Department of Justice. There’s growing public sentiment that collusion between the Biden administration and the GOP leaders is being used to curb Trump—both legally and politically. If anything, this raises chilling concerns about potential future misuse of justice to suppress voices that challenge the elite monopoly.
The situation is a strong reminder that a robust democracy needs leaders who do not simply belong to the self-perpetuating circle of power elites. America is yearning for honest representation; it is yearning for a leader who can channel the spirit of the average American; it yearns for a disruptor to break the cycle. Whether that disruptor is Trump or another outsider, only time and the people’s verdict will tell.
For now, it is fair to say that despite his flaws, Trump embodied a spirit of political revolution that is desperately sought after. Regardless of the controversy he invariably stirs, Trump represents to many the symbol of liberty from the disconnected and out-of-touch elite. The louder the clamor to upend and suppress him, the stronger he gets — such is the paradox that defines the Trump phenomenon. While his future remains a divisive topic, his impact and significance in American politics is undiminished and far from forgotten.
In the end, it is not Trump per se that Americans continue to back, but the stirrings of rebellion and change he came to represent, a desire for an outsider to wield the scepter and drain the swamp. And until the conservative bloc finds another torchbearer for this cause, Trump will continue to personify this struggle.
