The One Good Thing About Trump

He’s honest.

It sounds like the punchline to a joke, doesn’t it? Yes, he might be a manipulative, exploitive, opportunistic liar and conman who’s made a living off a reputation he didn’t build, only to flip-flop, backtracked, minimise, and pitifully excuse ever miniscule attempt at a cohesive character with even a shred of dignity he’s ever tried, but at least he’s honest about it!

But I mean it. You can point out every single thing he’s ever done wrong (and it’s no news there are many). Many of his own supporters struggle to adjust their more moderate and even civil beliefs with his bombastic character. He is surrounded by people who at some point called him out. But he’s never hidden who he is. Ever.

He’s honest in the way someone who doesn’t fully realise what they’re saying is honest. He’s honest in the way a child is honest. He’s honest in the way someone who’s too stupid to know to be coy is honest. And what’s funny is that many complaints people have about him have always been factors in and a part of the system he and his cohort are now leading, it’s just he’s saying the quiet part loud.

America has always been expansionist. “Manifest Destiny” isn’t some far off, long dead historical title to romanticise colonialism, genocide, slavery, and landgrabs. It is very much alive and well today. It’s alive in the US military bases dotted across the world. It’s alive in CIA interference. It’s alive in diplomatic meetings and mediation. It’s alive in the formation of Five Eyes.

“Speak softly and carry a big stick” was the name of the game. America had learned from their past that you need to not be too aggressive (as was the case with the Bay of Pigs Fiasco with the Soviets) but not be afraid to get involved (as was the case with the bombing of Pearl Harbour after much restraint from America during in World War II).

Trump isn’t saying anything new. In fact, he’s yelling it!

No one, especially not the likes of Canada, Mexico, Russia, China, nor any ally nations were naïve enough to really believe America was the good guy (or that there are any good guys). Phrases like the UK’s “special relationship” or Canada’s “friendship” are pleasantries, things you say before serious meetings. These are post-Cold War compliments to diffuse arguments before they start (because we know how bad things can get). No one really buys into this… except Trump.

Trump, and his supporters, really do believe America is the best. America is a lot of things. Rich, big, militaristic. Not one of these things are why it’s done as well as it has. It’s the biggest trading partner in the world. It’s the only continent-wide nation that expands uninterrupted by the Atlantic to the Pacific. America, traditionally, was a dealmaker, ironically something Trump has promoted himself as. He’s not.

He’s a tycoon. He’s a boss. He’s a man who by his own admission rarely is told no. But what more is he believe “might makes right”. Maybe that made sense in an America just out of World War II, but not today.

The world is too globalised. We’ve seen first hand how a virus in China call kill more people every day in America than died in 9/11. People are able to witness the frontlines of Ukraine or the carpet bombing of Palestine in real time, day or night, anywhere in the world. Globalisation and neoliberalism, for better or for worse, has shifted the balance of power away from armies and towards consumers. Everybody wins if everybody works together. The world is too small to have big countries anymore. Especially one that thinks it can insult everyone else and get away with it.

Furthermore, everyone has always known America, like much of the world, is owned and run by the wealthiest. Not the smartest, not the best, not even the most experienced, but the wealthiest. But again, it was all hush-hush. Grotesque corruption was done tastefully. It was done in private, behind closed doors. Seeking favours is a lot like masturbation; we all pretend we don’t do it. But look at Trump’s cabinet and inauguration. It is packed with tech lords like Bezos, Zuckerburg, Musk, Cook, Tiel. He has an entire arm of the government controlled by a billionaire, who bought he way into the White House, deciding to cut thousands of civil servants, all in the name of… efficiency? This is no longer the rich buying a government. This is the rich as the government.

Trump’s honesty, whether oblivious or intentional, acts as a superpower in a world full of empty language, sanitised phrases, professional courtesy, advertiser friendly content, and, most recently, “algospeak” where everyday people can and have had their reach online tampered with because they used shadow banned words (gay, Gaza, suicide, diverse). How are we to talk about what is happening when not only do we have a system of governance and media that isn’t used to direct language but also isn’t able to repeat what was said? Often online platforms treat hate speech and calling out hate speech as the same thing. Covid misinformation was “combatted” by a blanket ban on any information, even if it was accurate and educational. How can you call out someone who seemingly is the only one able to say anything?

It doesn’t help how hyperbole and “trolling” have evaporated words of their meanings. The word “literally” can mean “figuratively” depending on the context. People can and have used edgy humour with the justification that they were “just joking (lighten up)” to spread hate speech, conspiracy theories, and outdated views that are unironically spread by sincere supremacists, chauvinists, and believers. Again, one of his cabinet picks, Robert Kennedy, is a prominent anti-vaxxer. Trump is able to be honest exactly because it doesn’t matter anymore what he says.

This is a man who has openly abused women (and allegedly raped an ex-wife), used Christianity as a prop, called wounded veterans “suckers”, and said immigrants come from “shit hole countries”, yet some of his biggest supporters are conservative women, Christians, veterans, and new Americans/second generation Americans. Through DOGE and his executive orders, he’s already cut job, benefits, and supports for these same supporters. These are people who heard what he wanted to do, but still thought he was being hyperbolic, rhetorical, or just being Trump, the theatrical showman. He is so honest, it’s unbelievable.

Trump has never lied. He has always told you the truth. No Trumpism encapsulates this better than “drain the swamp”, a euphemism for tackling corruption in Washington. Do you know where the phrase comes from? It’s a real estate tactic. You buy unwanted marshlands and terraform it for property development. Generally, major problems like poor foundations, flooding, wildlife destruction, or even displacement of local communities occur both during and after this process. It is a destructive and irresponsible method of making money. Is it any surprise Trump, a man who learned shady real estate tactics from his infamous father, Fred Trump, has used this phrase from day one? Is it any surprise he’s been just as destructive, unstable, and reckless?

Why are you surprised? He’s always told you the truth.

#HI