Here is a sample of two posts President Donald Trump published on his Truth Social account today.
What are these posts supposed to accomplish? Who are these types of post for?
I am not sure Trump has put as much thought into these questions as I am about to. It seems like these types of posts, as well as the similar way he usually talks, are just instinct to him. Just a natural urge compelling him to flaunt his supposed superior strength and intellect.
Do these types of things make him look strong?
To, Iran? I doubt it. It is hard to believe the folks in charge in Iran or the 100 million plus people who live there will see these posts and suddenly suffer a shift in morale that causes them to capitulate when bombing, assassinations, piracy, and blockades have not done so.
But, perhaps these posts make him appear strong to supporters who view him as a big, strong man who is nearly always right. They are like a small child who sees but does not understand exactly why his father did something (even though it may feel odd or wrong at first) but decides it must be right because his father is big, strong, and smart.
Perhaps it makes him look strong to others who are bullies or who view the conduct of bullies as something to admire and emulate. Why do some see a bully acting rudely and preying on those smaller, weaker, and meeker than the bully and support and reward them for the behavior? Maybe there is a survival instinct in most of us to want to be part of a tribe headed by somebody strong and ruthless to those outside the tribe. That way, by becoming part of the bully's tribe, they will have a better chance at surviving and thriving.
What does it look like to those of us who can think beyond an instinctual urge to belong to a tribe we perceive as strong and victorious? It looks like a pathetic and transparent attempt to distort reality to appear more favorable to Trump. It looks like the work of a conman man who might engage in bellicose chest thumping every time he feels insecure or perceives a threat to his tribal support.
If Iran's ability to wage war and protect itself were truly destroyed and Trump held all the cards, why would he need to flaunt it to nobody in particular? If those images told the whole truth, why would the US and Iran still be in a temporary ceasefire? Why would the US be negotiating at all with Iran? Why would ship travel through the Strait of Hormuz still be mostly restricted?
If things were going so swimmingly, would people really need crude and dumb memes to see it? Perhaps rising prices and government spending require the bully to maintain his tribal support by conducting some low-cost, digital bullying and grandstanding to remind his followers of his strength and fitness to lead the tribe. An injured and aging silverback gorilla gesticulating wildly and screaming at a smaller gorilla for all to see.
Whatever the case, these posts and this way of talking show how easily fooled tens of millions of Americans truly are. We are not an exceptional nation of exceptional people, as we have said for generations. We are flawed and ignorant, and many of us were willing to flush our civic heritage, reputation, and moral compasses down the toilet the moment a brash, transparent conman made us feel special and seen.
He told many of us it is not our fault we are not succeeding the way we thought we would as special Americans. It is someone else's. Join his tribe, and Trump the strong leader will hurt the other tribes (libs, dems, elites, western democracies, poor immigrants and refugees) who did this to us and make us more successful. And tens of millions of people took the offer.
Faux strength and victimhood are the creed of Trump's tribe. And many will squint and pretend that everything is better for them as long as they can belong to and fit in with what they perceive as his strong tribe.