Putin and Trump: crisis of opulists

They have one thing in common, as Francis Fukuyama noted long ago: "The most dangerous form of populism is when a leader tells people: "People, you elected me, I am your direct representative, so I don't need any institutions."

Putin managed to destroy all institutions in Russia, and it took him more than twenty years to do so. Trump tried to undermine the foundations of American democracy, eventually losing to Biden, and even led the riots in the capital when an unprecedented thing happened in Washington, D.C. - a crowd of exalted Donny fans seized the Capitol. But the US system coped with this challenge as well. Now Trump is shunned by the majority of his own party. Putin still enjoys the moral support of his electorate, and his ratings are unlikely to be affected by the recognition of the "leader" as a war criminal, in particular for the abduction of Ukrainian children.

“The kinship between Putin and Trump is especially significant when it comes to their machismo”

Trump also stood trial and was found guilty of rape. Of course, the US court system still provides for the possibility of appeal or cassation. But the fact remains that civilised jurisprudence calls a spade a spade, having carefully considered the array of evidence and arguments.

The kinship between Putin and Trump is especially significant when it comes to their machismo. Thus, after the eloquent picture from the victory parade in Moscow, it is hard to believe that a few years ago the Russian dictator posed for cameras with his torso exposed, and his fanatical supporters, as in Nazi Germany, shouted about their desire to "give birth from Vladimir Vladimirovich." There were also flights with vultures, in an attack aircraft, and macabre statements that hardly any of the cohort of state leaders would have allowed themselves.

Trump also had similar stories. I don't know who took cue from whom, but one thing is clear: both counted on shock value and the dubious love of the crowd, people who buy into the picture and do not analyse the essence of the phenomena.

“The accused by the American court refuses to recognize Putin as a war criminal, but covers up his infantilism or true motives with the argument that his opinion could "harm future negotiations" with the "cunning and intelligent" Russian”

Now that Donny is a fierce advocate for Putin, we should not see any high political intentions or veiled implications in this hypostasis. Of course, Trump talks about the need for "peace" and an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine. But peace on Putin's terms. Statements about the possibility of "ending the war in 24 hours" look ridiculous coming from a man who failed in the banal trial I mentioned above. The man accused by the American court refuses to recognize Putin as a war criminal, but covers up his infantilism or true motives with the argument that his opinion could "harm future negotiations" with the "cunning and intelligent" Russian. And, obviously, Trump is using this opportunity to stroke his own ego: "His mistake was to barge in. He would never have barged in if I had been president... I used to talk to him. I got along well with him. He wanted peace. Now he seems to be getting everything. You saw: President Xi (Chinese leader - Ed.) is smart, President Putin is smart. Smart people stood there and discussed the world order for the next 100 years (my italics - Ed.)." 

In other words, "smart people" (according to Trump) discussed the fate of the world and, among other things, Ukraine without taking into account the opinions of several billion people on Earth, and even more so of Ukrainians. And does Trump care about Ukraine, who categorically asserts that by 2024 (the year of the next US presidential election) "Ukraine will be wiped off the map"?

The role of Putin's lawyer, although mentally inherent in Trump, is probably due to other reasons. Even during the last presidential race, Putin's bets on the Republican were obvious. It would seem that a Democrat would be more convenient for Russia, since it was during Barack Obama's administration that the relationship between Washington and Moscow was "reset."

“Both Trump and Putin are obsessed with the idea of greatness. It was this obsession that pushed the Russian dictator to war with Ukraine and, in fact, with the entire civilised world. In his nomination speech as the official Republican candidate in 2016, Donny said: "My slogan is America First. Our credo will be Americanism, not globalism." Later, these passages were transformed into "Make America Great Again!" (MAGA).”

But in the case of Trump, there was another factor at work. Donnie, they say, is hanging on an FSB hook, and he is hooked there securely and firmly. Someone writes about a video with prostitutes recorded in a Moscow hotel when the then president of the Trump Organization was negotiating the construction of the giant Trump Tower Moscow hotel there.

Rumours are rumours, but the most important thing is that both Trump and Putin are obsessed with the idea of greatness. It was this obsession that pushed the Russian dictator to war with Ukraine and, in fact, with the entire civilized world. In his nomination speech as the official Republican candidate in 2016, Donny said: "My slogan is America First. Our credo will be Americanism, not globalism." Later, these passages were transformed into "Make America Great Again!" (MAGA)

Strange people, these populists. Putin's Russia will die in Ukraine. Trump's machist MAGA may end up in a banal prison for a rapist. As Vitaly Portnikov once wrote, "In the civilized world, each of them (populists - Ed.) will slip on their own watermelon rind."

About the author. Ihor Hulyk is a journalist, editor-in-chief of the Espreso website.

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.