For six weeks, we observed as Donald Trump – adorned with his golden hair, bronzer, oversized pens, and a distinctive zigzag signature – took center stage in his latest production, The Strongman. It was decent, if not spectacular, television, driven by an unspoken tension – what will he do next?
This becomes clearer when recognizing that in the pursuit of establishing a new world order characterized by unchecked, male-centric American capitalism, a cultural revolution also ensues. As Stephen Marche articulates in the Atlantic: “Washington today can only be understood as a product of show business, rather than law or policy.”
In line with the conventions of show business, performance reigns supreme. There can only be a singular hero, while the rest must bow or applaud. Over recent weeks, other leaders—men who understood that their authority was neither divinely granted nor fabricated in a television studio—used the best means their cultures offered to deal with unpredictable older men. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, charmingly patted The Strongman on the knee while subtly correcting him, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer brought an invitation from a legitimate king. Lower-tier Australians, schooled in neoliberalism, offered their lower-tier American counterparts vast sums for defense and industry.
Unlike President Teddy Roosevelt, who in 1902 invited Vida Goldstein to offer advice on how America might adopt Australian practices to grant women the vote, few influential women have stepped into this Oval Office.
Then, The Strongman momentarily let his guard down, overreached and revealed his true identity as The Bully, while his ally, JD Vance, sat ready to deliver a brutal blow to Ukraine’s weary president.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy remained composed, carrying the weight of his nation’s losses, until he was prompted to clarify the situation.
Trump surely relished his line: “This is going to be great television.” It’s no wonder that some observers speculated it was orchestrated. Close watchers believed it was one of those conflicts that spiraled out of control when the wingman’s ignorance was put to the test.
Any woman who has ever felt treated as if they belonged to a lesser species recognized the strategies employed: belittle, gaslight, interrupt, threaten, demand gratitude, and dismiss.
It has long been evident that women were to be Trump’s primary targets. He has openly expressed his disdain for women for decades, choosing to embrace his self-created myth: “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.”
He quickly shifted to attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, insinuating that the tragic collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane stemmed from DEI. He began to prohibit such initiatives not only in government sectors funded directly by the state but also in any organization receiving grants, and every business associated with the government. This encompassed major players from both the old and new economies; public funds are essential for many American businesses.
The rapidity with which corporations complied was astonishing. The long-cherished values of inclusion, opportunity, reflecting societal diversity, and leveraging the best talent—even beyond just white men—quickly dissipated. Concepts of the triple bottom line, sustainability, and equity were forgotten.
The Australian branches of American corporations followed the directives from their headquarters, scaling back policies that had begun to transform their workforces. The Australian Stock Exchange seemed to seize the moment, abandoning new diversity reporting initiatives for listed companies.
Pending Senate approval, Australian legislation aimed at imposing more robust gender and equity requirements on companies with government contracts is still in limbo, but it has started shifting the workplace dynamics and opportunities available to women, as recently revealed by income inequality data. Progress has been slower for other marginalized groups. The opposition, which has consistently failed to ensure adequate representation of women within its party, grasped the opportunity to eliminate rules that mandated the public sector workforce to reflect societal demographics.
The attack on DEI initiatives was the first revealing indication of the kind of society Trump aspires to create—one envisioned for years by global libertarian think tanks. The dismantling of USAid highlighted this singular focus, alongside the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization, and the undermining of the National Institutes of Health.
These organizations are not mere façades. They achieved significant outcomes, gathered valuable information, saved lives, and helped societies function with a degree of humanity and safety. They mitigated the harsh impacts of unbridled capitalism and acknowledged the importance of interconnectedness.
As I write this, I await Cyclone Alfred’s approach, which is set to hit a kilometer from my home – fierce winds and rain threatening severe conditions. This is no coincidence, but a cyclone driven too far south by tropical water temperatures, supercharged by global warming that capitalism has failed to rein in.
American power is unmatched. Its military bases are spread across the globe, its corporations drive national economies, and its popular culture influences minds. However, maintaining his script, the rapidity with which The Strongman seeks to pursue solitary efforts and create opportunities for the ultra-wealthy is astounding.
Fifty years of work to safeguard capitalism from its excesses, to promote inclusivity, to honor the environment and rule of law, to utilize unprecedented knowledge to mitigate potential impacts has been cast aside. Instead, the technological revolution, welcomed by The Strongman and fueled by the most deleterious imperial ideologies, will result in extraordinary devastation and squandered chances for a more equitable and just world.
And as we reflect post-International Women’s Day, it’s crucial to acknowledge the undeniable truth: women and the marginalized will bear the brunt of these changes.
