As I’ve read more and more about how the Republican senators who voted to convict Trump are being subjected to censure by their state Republican parties and even shunned by their families (Sen. Adam Kinzinger – Illinois) it just seemed to me that this whole obsession with Trump has gone way past politics. This really seems more like a personality cult than a political movement. According to Merriam-Webster a Personality Cult is: a situation in which a public figure (such as a political leader) is deliberately presented to the people of a country as a great person who should be admired and loved. The most famous current example is, of course, North Korea.
Cults are generally associated with various religious sects and so I turned to religion to find a list of warning signs that a group is really a cult1. These warning signs are:
The Leader is infallible
This is particularly interesting with respect to Trump because it is well documented how he, personally, virtually never apologizes nor will he ever admit to a mistake. During his first impeachment trial he argued that his conversation with President Zelensky was ‘perfectly appropriate,’ even though only his most ardent supporters agreed with that assessment. Likewise, during the second impeachment trial, he again said that his inflammatory speech on January 6th that resulted in the assault on the capital was ‘perfectly appropriate.’ Not only does Trump, himself, present himself as infallible, his acolytes are able to rationalize all of his behaviors such that to an outside observer, it would appear that Trump is without fault and infallible.
Deceptive Recruitment Tactics
“Cult recruitment typically revolves around convincing potential members that they will be offered something they do not have in their current lives”.1 Trump did this in spades. He promised to ‘Build the Wall’ and have Mexico pay for it – false. (He diverted US tax dollars (military funds) to try to pay for the wall. He promised to revitalize the coal industry – false. (The fact is that it was market economics more than regulation that hurt the coal industry. Natural gas is more economical). He promised China would pay for the trade war Trump started – false. (The cost was primarily borne by the American consumer.) He promised his massive tax cut would benefit most Americans – false. (The majority of the benefit accrued to the wealthiest Americans and corporations and resulted in a widening of income inequality and a massive increase in the national debt). Myriads of false promises that make good sound bites but do not reflect the reality of what actually occurred.
Exclusivity in Faith
There was no compromise in Trumpism. It’s either Trump’s way or no way. The biggest sign of this is in the failure to draft a party platform at the Republican convention in 2020 beyond essentially, ‘support Trump and whatever he wants to do.’ Anyone who disagreed with Trump was looked upon as an outcast.
Intimidation, Fear and Isolation
It is well documented how Trump and his supporters would seek to punish anyone who disagreed with him. People would be fired who disagreed with him. He has famously used fear and intimidation as a tactic throughout his life, even before he became president. And now what we are witnessing with the censuring of senators who voted to convict Trump and others who have not supported him is an attempt to ostracize them from the very party that they have supported for years. Governor Brian Kemp (R- Georgia) and Brad Raffensberger (R – Georgia) have become political pariahs because they refused to overturn the results of the Georgia election.
Illegal Activities
Even after Trump was acquitted in the two impeachment trials, he is facing at least half a dozen different investigations involving both civil and criminal activities. There were more people in Trump’s orbit indicted, convicted and sent to jail than for any other president in modern history. And that is not to mention the numerous government appointees made by Trump who later had to step down amid ethics violations.
Religious Dogma
In Trump’s case, this is really more along the lines of Political Dogma. Trump’s ‘America First’ policy and ‘Make America Great Again’ became the dogma of his acolytes, even though the policies stemming from these ‘philosophies’ were extremely damaging to America, its world standing and its economy.
The bottom line is that the Republican party needs to do some serious soul searching and decide if they want to continue to be a personality cult or a political party. They can’t have it both ways. If the party cannot articulate a vision for the country and come up with a party platform that clearly articulates that vision without referencing a specific person, they will devolve into nothing more than a personality cult. Given the lack of courage shown by the majority of Republicans in Congress to date, I am not optimistic they will choose wisely.
Franklin Graham is an enabler of the white evangelicals to support Trump. Before Trump was elected he told all Christians they must vote for Trump because he is the lesser of two evils. He has planted a seed that Trump will always be the lesser of two evils so no matter what Trump does the other party will always be the greater of two evils. Franklin Graham also told all Christians that Trump is a Prophet and if you do not support Trump you are demonically possessed. During the Impeachment of Trump for insurrection Franklin Graham told Christians that they are a Judas and a Jesus denier if they support the impeachment. Franklin Graham and Trump have created a Christian cult. Now many Christians have signed a petition to remove Franklin Graham as a Christian leader.