Former President Donald Trump recently concluded his Super Tuesday victory speech on a remarkably dystopian note that starkly contrasted with his opulent surroundings in the Mar-a-Lago ballroom via Mediaite.
Trump is a big believer in repetition as a rhetorical device, as his speech hit many of the same exact notes we’ve heard for nearly a decade. None of it was necessarily new, as his fearmongering of cities “chocking to death’ and states an the country “dying” evoked memories of the “American carnage” he spoke of during his inauguration speech in 2017.
“This is an incredible group of people,” Trump said earlier in the speech. “There are so many celebrities that I’m not going to introduce any because I’m just going to get myself in trouble if I do that because I’ll leave out most of you, but we have this as a room chock-full of incredibly talented people.” It is not clear what “celebrities” he referred to, but Trump was clearly impressed.
The Mar-a-Lago ballroom that served as the backdrop for Trump’s speech gained notoriety for briefly housing presidential records, some of which may or may not have been stolen or classified as material from the National Archives. It’s also a really elegant space, with thick velvet drapes and golden columns. Although some critics argue that “schmancy” is a better word to describe it, some people are undoubtedly drawn to the extravagant décor.
And what demographic does the chintzy decor apparently appeal to? The very same rich and (allegedly) famous voters who agree with Trump that the country is going to hell. And that’s not my take; that’s the observation made by the former president.
Trump ended his speech on a remarkably dystopian note, warning about “migrant crime” and undocumented migrants “coming in from such, such bad places,” that he pledged a mass deportation because “our country can’t live like this.”
“Our cities are choking to death,” Trump said. “Our states are dying. And frankly, our country is dying. And we’re going to make America great again, greater than ever before.”
Yes, it’s typical Trump fare. It might be considered careless to highlight it here. He most certainly doesn’t require any additional emphasis.
However, the emperor’s assertion that the country is about to perish is untrue. It obscures the truth that during his brief four years in power, America experienced its greatest period of prosperity in recent memory. Not only is it a terribly self-serving and cynical perspective, but it also damages the reputation of the country.
