Published by The i paper (1st May, 2025)
Barely two weeks after Donald Trump’s return to the White House, a Republican congresswoman called Anna Paulina Luna put forward legislation to carve his face on the famous Mount Rushmore memorial in South Dakota. “His remarkable accomplishments for our country, and the success he will continue to deliver, deserve the highest recognition,” she declared. “Let’s get carving!” This would place Trump, arguably the most toxic and divisive character in American politics, alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt on this iconic monument.
Last year, a survey of 154 scholars assessing the greatness of US presidents placed that quartet at the top – with Trump deemed their worst in history. Yet Luna’s suggestion was among a spate of similarly fawning ideas from loyalists, such as putting his face on a $250 bill, sticking his name on the international airport in Washington, and declaring his birthday a national holiday. Such toe-curling puffery should lead to deserved mockery – especially so soon after inauguration, and following an earlier defeat that sparked attempted insurgency. Yet such is the astonishing sycophancy towards Trump, the desperate desire to stroke the overblown ego of this preening man-child president, that such ridiculous ideas enter the political firmament. There is even support for his flirtation with a third term, despite the two-term constitutional limit.
Far from delivering success, Trump’s return has been a chaotic, tragic, and entirely predictable disaster – for his voters, his nation, its allies and the global cause of democracy. This is evident from the destructive farce of tariffs through to a barrage of cruel deportation blunders and the breathtaking incompetence of senior officials sharing war plans with a journalist. Such gross ineptitude is the inevitable result of creating a regime filled with self-serving billionaires and simpering buffoons that is founded on flattery of a narcissistic boss, something seen also in autocratic states.
Trump bragged at a rally this week to have overseen “the most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country”. Chalk up one more lie. Subsequent words were closer to the mark when he said “in 100 days, we have delivered the most profound change in Washington in nearly 100 years”. Unfortunately, it has been mostly in disturbing directions – symbolised on Day 36 by the US forsaking long-standing friends at the United Nations to vote with Russia, North Korea and Belarus against a motion condemning Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on the war’s third anniversary.
Domestic criticism is muted by fear. This is driven by the brutality of the regime’s assault on critics in law firms and universities, the clampdown on free speech, the neutering of watchdogs under a banner of efficiency and the sheer speed of the White House’s assault on democratic norms. Republican critics stay silent even when core economic beliefs are shredded, parts of the media are muted by supine plutocrats, defeated Democrats seem dazed and punch-drunk. The judicial system remains an important check on power, although not yet fully tested by the second coming of this vain and vindictive president.
Sucking up to Trump extends beyond US borders. In Britain, as in other- European countries, hard-right figures cuddle up to this populist even as he corrodes causes they claim to espouse, from free trade through to free expression. They are led by his lap dog Nigel Farage, who hailed his idol’s election as “an inspiration” for Reform UK, while Boris Johnson was left squirming after insisting Trump would never betray Ukraine. Even the left has been infected. I am sympathetic to Sir Keir Starmer’s diplomatic quandary over dealing with Trump, yet how demeaning for Downing Street to be reportedly lobbying golf chiefs to hold the Open at his course. (Downing Street has denied lobbying).
History will not be kind to all those pandering to this flip-flopping political huckster. Already his support is waning, a string of polls released to mark the 100 days showing voter approval has plummeted to historic lows at this point in a presidency. The US economy is shrinking. Tourism is crashing alongside the country’s global reputation. And Canada’s election has shown that foreign politicians who fight for liberal values and put their country’s interests first by standing up to Trump’s bullying can thrive – while those that get too close to him can crash.
As the philosopher of conservatism Edmund Burke said, flattery corrupts both the receiver and giver. Trump looked rattled and testy when an ABC interviewer dared challenge him over his dismal start. At the end, he was asked what he would say to citizens worried he was becoming authoritarian. “I would hate them to think that,” replied the President. “I’m making America great again.”Then he went on a rant about his predecessor – but might well have been talking about himself. “We have a country that was laughed at all over the world. We had a leader that was grossly incompetent. He should have never been there.” One thing is sure: the sycophants should hold off carving his smug face on Mount Rushmore.