Donald Trump does not care about his followers—only himself. The transactional and one-sided relationship between Trump and his followers is exploitative. Those who do not support him already know this, but do his supporters? I would guess probably not, considering the extent of their enthusiasm. From storming the Capitol on Jan. 6 to buying his trading cards, the most radical of Trump’s political base have exhibited symptoms of a cult of personality. Trump controls the minds of his adherents, receives unquestioned praise and is portrayed as a gloriously heroic leader. This is “Trumpism.”
I do not wish to focus on the idiocracy of his base, but rather look into how Trump has exploited them to obtain power. If he assumes the presidency again next January, he could consolidate his power further by becoming a dictator “on day one.” He said this during a town hall event last December to close the southern border and expand oil drilling. But it would be fair to assume, based on his authoritarian rhetoric and tendencies, that Trump’s ability to seize power has dangerous implications if he becomes president again.
Trump capitalizes on a shared victimization of his loyalists, which results in collective narcissism. The “deep state,” a conspiracy theory that claims there are secret and unauthorized networks of members of the federal government working together to exercise power, is commonly referenced by Trump and his base when there is any resistance to his agenda. “They’re not after me, they’re after you. I just happen to be standing in the way, and I will always be standing in their way,” Trump said at a rally in Durham, New Hampshire, per C-Span. Visitors to his website are greeted with this same sentence. The fear-mongering of this language points to the collective victimhood against the opponents of “Trumpism.”
The shared psychosis of Trump and his “Trumpians” is laughable, yet terrifying nonetheless. It is the largest cult in the United States, followed closely by the “Swifties”. Yes, this is a joke, but I want to include it because of the conspiracies associated with Taylor Swift. Because of the cult-like following of Swift, and the approximately 55% of her fans being Democrats, according to a 2023 survey from the Morning Consult, an endorsement by Swift of President Joe Biden would pose a real threat to Trump if “Swifties” turned out to vote. But Trump’s most loyal supporters will do whatever it takes to get him back as their president, or maybe even supreme leader when he centralizes authority, bolsters executive power and targets political dissidents.
According to a poll by Monmouth University, almost three-fourths of those who believe Swift is a part of an elaborate scheme to help Biden win the 2024 election also believe that the 2020 election was fraudulent—something that Trump still convinces his supporters of, even four years later.
Trump has been leaning into authoritarian rhetoric throughout his campaign, echoing the language of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini with phrases like “vermin” when referring to political enemies and “poisoning the blood of our country” when referring to immigrants. That language is drawing rebuke from historians, who are comparing it to that of the leaders of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, respectively. This is what his supporters want to hear. Trump just wants votes, regardless of whether he is aware of what he is saying, and he is using these people to achieve his political goals.
Trump also financially exploits his base. Because of his criminality, he faces mounting legal bills, and what better way to make up some of that money than to ask for it from his loyalists? Trump has more memorabilia than most political figures, I think. Just the other day I came across a bobblehead called “The Trumpinator”—a play on “The Terminator.”
However, the most recent and notable last-ditch money grab was the “God Bless The USA Bible.” In partnership with Lee Greenwood, Trump is selling not just any old ordinary Bible, but one with the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance and a handwritten chorus to the Bible’s namesake. All for the “low” price of $59.99—quite the bargain. It arrived just in time for the profits to be spent on his personal and legal debts—definitely not on funding the campaign that is supposed to be about his followers.
According to The Washington Post, filings showed that Trump spent more than $55 million in donor money on legal fees. I am all for grassroots fundraising. However, using the funding from your loyal supporters who trust that you will act in their best interest, like investing it in the campaign, is financial exploitation. I sure would not want my hard-earned dollars to be used for legal fees.
Nonetheless, a poll done by Ipsos shows that while a majority of Americans think Trump should go to trial before the 2024 presidential election, there is still a sharp divide across partisan lines. The majority of Republicans, and a considerable portion of Americans in general, believe that Trump’s legal quarrels are a hoax or that he is not guilty. Why is this? Because he told them so—like at a campaign rally in February when he claimed that the $355 million fraud fine was an “election interference ploy.” Whatever he tells them is the truth, and his word is final. Cult much? I think so.
Trump’s attempts to monetize his presidency and perpetuate his influence, even after leaving office, is bizarre. Despite mounting evidence of Trump’s financial exploitation and legal troubles, his loyalists’ steadfast support glorifies Trump as their savior.