Hungary’s Strongman Lost, But His Ideas Live On in the White House
In this opinion piece, Jamil Smith argues that the United States tolerates Donald Trump's controversial behavior due to a distorted cultural definition of strength. The author contrasts Trump with men he has known who exhibited true strength through restraint, empathy, and the willingness to apologize, rather than domination or volume. Smith highlights recent actions by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, such as supporting Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orban during his re-election, escalating conflicts with Iran, and mocking Pope Leo XIV, as examples of performative grievance mistaken for leadership. The article contends that Trump did not invent these toxic assumptions about power and masculinity but merely exposed and auditions for them. Furthermore, Smith points out the racial and gender disparities in how such behavior is judged, noting that figures like Barack Obama or women of color would not receive similar indulgence. Ultimately, the piece asserts that Americans have collectively decided to equate impulse with honesty and escalation with courage, allowing Trump to appear strong despite lacking traditional leadership qualities.
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Hungary’s Strongman Lost, But His Ideas Live On in the White House
In this opinion piece, Jamil Smith argues that the United States tolerates Donald Trump's controversial behavior due to a distorted cultural definition of strength. The author contrasts Trump with men he has known who exhibited true strength through restraint, empathy, and the willingness to apologize, rather than domination or volume. Smith highlights recent actions by Trump and Vice President JD Vance, such as supporting Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orban during his re-election, escalating conflicts with Iran, and mocking Pope Leo XIV, as examples of performative grievance mistaken for leadership. The article contends that Trump did not invent these toxic assumptions about power and masculinity but merely exposed and auditions for them. Furthermore, Smith points out the racial and gender disparities in how such behavior is judged, noting that figures like Barack Obama or women of color would not receive similar indulgence. Ultimately, the piece asserts that Americans have collectively decided to equate impulse with honesty and escalation with courage, allowing Trump to appear strong despite lacking traditional leadership qualities.
The Guardian