The Rise of Donald Trump and the Era of Grotesque Power
Regardless of the outcome of today’s elections, Donald Trump is set to secure the votes of one in every two Americans, according to polls. This historic result for an extreme right candidate highlights a political revolution that will undoubtedly overshadow Barack Obama’s victory in 2008. Trump’s third electoral campaign, amidst the backdrop of the July 13 attack, reaffirms a political trajectory that has swept through the American and global political landscape like a cyclone. Faced with this cyclone, the enlightened public opinion has been left speechless, torn between skepticism and astonishment, overwhelmed by a sense of incomprehension in the face of the magnitude of the crises that have unfolded since the 2000s. Three crucial dates: 2008, 2016, 2020. Three waves of discredit from which Trumpism has emerged as the heir. While in 2008 Obama campaigned for “change we can believe in,” with Trump it is no longer about governing within the democratic framework, but about speculating downwards and deepening its discredit.
The Trumpian Revolution
Trump is a champion of suspicion who has built his strategy on a paradox: he bases the credibility of his “discourse” on the discredit of the “system,” speculates downwards on general discredit, and exacerbates its consequences. The “nothing to lose” mentality has prevailed over hopes for change. A rhetoric of condemnation has taken root on the ruins of democracies in crisis, replacing discourses that speak of progress and possible worlds. This phenomenon has occurred worldwide, not disguised as a populist façade, but under the highly recognizable form of “grotesque power,” with examples like Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, Boris Johnson in the UK, Matteo Salvini and Beppe Grillo in Italy, Narendra Modi in India, or Javier Milei and his chainsaw in Argentina.
The Grotesque Power of Discredit
Trump has revolutionized political life at three levels: language, the energy of electoral campaigns, and sources of legitimacy. By challenging the democratic system, Trump aims not to reform or transform it, but to ridicule it. His omnipresence on social media, now X (formerly Twitter), resembles that of a carnival figure who claims the right to say anything and discredit all forms of power. His election did not elevate him to presidential status; rather, he focused on ridiculing the office with his antics, mood swings, and grotesque behaviors.
The grotesque power embodies a new form of paradoxical legitimacy that does not rely on rationality, tradition, or charisma as valued by Max Weber, but on irrationality, transgression, and ridicule. Trump, like Musk, does not fit into any established forms of legitimacy; instead, he neutralizes them, mocks them, and constructs an alternative legitimacy based on irrational behavior and rejection of tradition and democratic rules, using transgression, mockery, and insult. His charisma turns the concept on its head, as it is not tied to any indefinable charm but to a self-proclaimed unpredictability: “Xi Jinping would respect me if I were president again because he knows I’m crazy.” His campaign, filled with rhetorical aberrations, extravagances such as the playlist at his rallies, and constant insults against Kamala Harris, is a manifestation of a democracy crisis that goes far beyond the destabilizing influence of social media.
The Birth of Grotesque Power
We are witnessing the emergence of a new historical-political category: the grotesque power of discredit. After the captains of capitalism, grotesque power now relies on libertarian clowns who abhor any idea of economic, political, or even linguistic regulation. Their penchant for transgression knows no bounds, in actions and words. Hence, the carnival-like nature of their public appearances, transforming into a cabaret of billionaires. Elon Musk is the figurehead, the king of baloney, according to The Atlantic. Commentator Ian Bogost refers to him and his colleagues as bullionaires (charlatan billionaires). Benedict Evans, a tech analyst, has called Elon Musk “a charlatan who gets results.” In other words, his nonsense works. These are not mere slip-ups but calculated sequences to scandalize and rally the public, with tangible effects that challenge the boundaries of public discourse.
Elon Musk’s rhetoric on X mirrors the juxtaposition of high and low, noble and trivial, refined and crude, sacred and profane, rejecting established norms and hierarchies among the powerful and non-powerful. It embodies a vulgarly claimed, assumed, and haughty form of discredit.
The Grotesque Power Duo: Trump and Musk
This scenario prompts a reevaluation of the Marxist metaphor that violence is the midwife of an old society that carries “another new one within it.” While violence persists, discredit has taken its place, making it challenging to discern the supposed “new society” it bears. At most, we observe the emergence of a new historical and political category with the characteristics of a “technically equipped archaism,” as Guy Debord defined fascism, whose ultimate embodiment would be the Trump-Musk pair. “If fascism assumes the defense of the main elements of the bourgeois, now conservative ideology (family, property, moral order, nation), and brings together both the petite bourgeoisie and those without work who are distressed by the crisis, it presents itself for what it is: a violent resurrection of the myth, demanding participation in a community defined by pseudo-archaic values: race, blood, and leader.”
Conclusion
The rise of Donald Trump and the era of grotesque power symbolize a shift in political discourse and legitimacy, challenging traditional norms and values. This phenomenon, exemplified by figures like Trump and Musk, underscores the complexity of modern politics and the impact of discredit on societal structures. As we navigate this new landscape, it is crucial to analyze and understand these dynamics to shape a more informed and resilient future.
FAQ
What is the concept of grotesque power?
Grotesque power refers to a form of paradoxical legitimacy that relies on irrationality, transgression, and ridicule to challenge established norms and institutions. It embodies a shift in traditional sources of authority and influences modern political discourse.
How has Donald Trump revolutionized political life?
Donald Trump has revolutionized political life through his use of language, energy in electoral campaigns, and sources of legitimacy. By challenging the democratic system and ridiculing traditional forms of power, he has reshaped the political landscape in unprecedented ways.