Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election has understandably caused a stir worldwide. There is a prevailing fear of the radicalism and unpredictability of the new president’s actions as he has already shown his controversial nature while holding this office between 2016 and 2020. Even as president-elect, Trump expressed ownership aspirations toward the Panama Canal, Greenland, and Canada. Is he perhaps following Alfred Hitchcock’s principle that one should start with an earthquake and then let the tension continuously rise?
Fascists and populists around the world rejoice at Trump’s victory as he represents their goals and values. However, the joy of the Polish right wing may be short-lived when it turns out that Trump’s foreign policy harms Poland’s vital interests.
In Polish media, most commentary focuses on the global consequences of America’s new political direction. Nevertheless, it is also worth considering the domestic effects of Trump’s presidency. Can he really make America great again from the perspective of those Americans who feel frustrated for various reasons? The United States is the world’s largest superpower but there is a concern that Trump’s rule might threaten rather than inspire its continued economic, military, and political greatness.
What exactly is Trumpism? It is a unique form of conservatism, blending nationalism, populism, and traditionalism. Trump himself personifies this ideology as a strongman, convinced of his own righteousness and devoid of doubt; this is the role he plays.
Trump’s nationalism, encapsulated in the slogan “America First”, essentially means abandoning the role the United States has historically played in the modern world—defending democracy. This country, leveraging its military and economic potential, has sought to uphold democratic values globally, acting as a counterbalance to dictatorships and authoritarian regimes. By turning away from Europe, as Trump has suggested, America is paving the way for Russia’s imperial ambitions. This marks the end of the America we have known since the time of its Founding Fathers. The value of freedom is being replaced by Trump’s preferred value: profit.
Instead of fighting to expand the boundaries of the free world, Trump promises benefits tied to purchasing or forcefully seizing Greenland and the Panama Canal. Perhaps he may even succeed in making Canada the fifty-first state. Trump also aims to leave his mark on history by renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the American Gulf. Through his nationalism, Trump seeks to win over supporters who believe America’s greatness does not stem from its pro-democratic role in the world but rather from its territorial size and the wealth of its citizens. Many Americans favor this convenient isolationism, which would spare them from having to send U.S. soldiers to distant corners of the globe.
Trump’s populism is of a peculiar nature. He talks a lot about addressing the needs of ordinary people and improving their living conditions. However, his real agenda primarily serves the interests of big capital. This explains his strong support among American multimillionaires. His demonstrative withdrawal from efforts to combat climate change is, of course, an act of populism—catering to people’s resistance to change, especially when it requires sacrifice. Yet, abandoning the Green Deal, allowing unrestricted oil drilling, and further expanding the meat industry are all moves designed to benefit not ordinary people but American businesses and turbo-capitalism. Appeasing the greed of corporations takes precedence over caring for future generations’ living conditions.
The same applies to healthcare, which in America is dominated by the profit-driven insurance industry. Barack Obama tried to improve the system, but his “Obamacare” was dismantled by Trump during his previous term. Now, Trump is promising to cure cancer using superintelligence, presenting himself as a benefactor who gives hope to the sick. However, he fails to mention that such treatment will be exorbitantly expensive—affordable only to the likes of Musk, Bezos, or Zuckerberg.
Another purely populist goal is stopping immigration and carrying out mass deportations of illegal immigrants. Here, Trump can indeed count on broad support from people who fear job competition and rising crime. Interestingly, the strongest support for immigration restrictions often comes from former immigrants who have already settled in the U.S. and now see newcomers as economic threats. It will be intriguing to see how the American economy copes when immigrant labor suddenly disappears.
Trump’s traditionalism is reflected in his slogan: “Make America Great Again.” But how far back does he intend to go? To the era of slavery, the massacre of Native Americans, or the reign of Al Capone? One thing is clear—he wants to return to old customs, which had no place for LGBTQ+ individuals. As a precaution, Trump issued a decree recognizing only two genders: male and female. Like an almighty demiurge, he attempted to erase the existence of a part of American society.
In his inaugural address, he also pledged to wage an all-out war against leftist “woke” and “cancel culture” initiatives, which have sought to reassess the historical narrative of the U.S.—challenging the glorification of figures who defended slavery, racial segregation, and the oppression of women and Native Americans. Trump signed an executive order banning transgender individuals from military service and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the armed forces introduced by Biden. Of course, he has no intention of restricting Americans’ freedom to own firearms.
Trump’s presidency is dragging America backward, despite its cutting-edge technologies. This is not merely about his decisions, which his successor could later reverse or repeal. It is about the cultural impact of his leadership—one that fosters nationalism and populism, promotes obscurantism and irrationality. Followers of QAnon and other conspiracy theories can rejoice, as they were the ones who stormed the Capitol on Biden’s inauguration day—people now celebrating their triumph after being pardoned by Trump.
Here are a few examples symbolizing the effects of Trumpism’s cultural influence.
The first concerns the supremacy of business over climate and public health. An illustration of this is DuPont’s decades-long use of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid, also known as C8) in the production of Teflon, despite internal research proving its harmful effects. PFOA, rather than Teflon itself, has been linked to thyroid disorders, reduced fertility, and certain cancers. The Teflon production facility in Parkersburg, West Virginia, caused water contamination and severe health problems among workers and residents. One can only imagine the consequences of Trump’s deregulatory policies, which have given corporations free rein in pursuit of profit as the highest value.
The second example is the legal industry defending major corporations. Corporate lawyers are tasked with shielding companies from accusations of environmental destruction, public health risks, sexual harassment, and workplace abuse. Their strategy involves prolonging lawsuits indefinitely and offering settlements—financial compensations that are just a fraction of corporate profits—to silence victims under confidentiality agreements.
A third example is the 2016 attack on the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where a homophobic extremist murdered fifty people and wounded fifty-three others due to religious motives. It was the deadliest act of violence against LGBTQ+ people in history. But will it be the last? The overtly homophobic rhetoric of Trumpism may further unleash the hatred of his supporters, many of whom embrace the traditional hyper-masculine, pioneer-conqueror archetype.
The fourth example ties into the previous one—the free access to weapons, a deeply ingrained element of American culture. The Old West mentality that citizens must protect their families and properties has fueled a tragic phenomenon: mass school shootings. In 2023, there were 349 school shootings, and in 2024, 322. American sociologists now classify school shootings as a cultural phenomenon.
There is no doubt that Trump, as a businessman governing the country like a corporation, will further maximize profits at society’s expense. The few lawyers defending ordinary citizens from corporate greed will become even greater outsiders. Trump is concerned not with human rights, but with the rights of American businesses.
Donald Trump is undertaking an unusual experiment: advancing the country by dragging it back to the 19th century. However, there are many wise and socially engaged Americans who will not allow their nation to regress into oligarchy, climate disaster, and irrational leadership. How will growing social polarization end? Given the country’s easy access to guns—perhaps in another civil war.
References:
[1] Report on Countering Disinformation. Systemic Recommendations, Warsaw 2022, https://ffb.org.pl/2023/02/23/przeciwdzialanie-dezinformacji-w-polsce-raport/ [accessed: 10.02.2025].
[2] Commission for Investigating Russian and Belarusian Influence on Poland’s Internal Security and Interests (2004–2024), Disinformation Task Force Report.
Written by Jolanta Bienkowska and Czeslaw Sikorski.
The article was originally published in Polish at: https://liberte.pl/postep-wedlug-trumpa/
Translated by Natalia Banaś