The New Government Apprentice
The Second Trump Presidency as a Reality Show
(Getty Images. Credit: Bill Tompkins)
Many of my US friends are at a loss about how to respond to the Presidential Election and the upcoming Trump 2nd Term. Many are fearful, some are traumatized, and even those who were hopeful are still alert to possible signs of disarray. Reading the news from a slightly removed distance (Canada can, in no way, fully shield itself from the vicissitudes of life south of the border) has helped me view the election in a perspective that allows me to follow events with interest, and while not without trepidation, at least periodic amusement.
The second Trump Presidency suddenly came into focus the other day while talking to a friend i. Donald Trump’s most successful role, pre-Presidency, was as a reality show star, as many have previously noted during his first term. That time around, it was suggested that he actually ran for President to try and resuscitate the cancellation of The Celebrity Apprentice program, a cancellation which caused him to fulminate about ratings and his popularity. When he won, against all odds and expectations, he had to suddenly try and be President, and he populated his cabinet with a mix of pals and more traditional appointees. This time around, however, Trump is prepared and ready. He knows he can revert to style, and watching events unfold since November 5th, it seems that Trump is handling the Presidency, and Washington DC as he did The Apprentice.
All the elements are there:
1. Telegenic participants: it is no accident that three of proposed Cabinet appointees, Pete Hegseth for Defense, and Sean Duffy for Transportation, and Mehmet OZ as Medicare Administrator, are present or former TV stars. Trump has always said that having “the look” was important for his appointees. Having attractive contestants is also an important part of maintaining ratings, something that Trump is ever concerned with. Trump also seems far more comfortable working with people from the world of television than with those whose background is in government or the public service.
2. A Bad Boy: Every reality program has to have a bad boy. Someone who upsets the apple cart, who keeps viewers wondering what outrageous actions will happen next. Who could have been a better choice in this regard than Matt Gaetz. What would he say or do? He’s so bad he has already been voted off the Island.
3. A Bad Girl: Tulsi Gabbard probably wins in this category. Will the Director of National Intelligence continue her cozy relationships with Vladimir Putin or Bashar al-Assad? Linda McMahon may be a close second. A conventional businesswoman and former Trump Cabinet member, will her flashy and scandal-ridden husband, or her own time in the wrestling ring make things interesting?
4. Edgy weirdo: Robert F. Kennedy is custom made for this role: Good looking and a little bit wacky. What new fringe science will he mandate? How will he reconcile his fanatical interest in Making America Healthy Again by changing what we eat with his apparent required new attraction to McDonald’s hamburgers?
5. Illicit Romance: The whole world is watching Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s new bromance bloom. They are inseparable. But when will the bloom fade? Will JD Vance, trump’s previous significant other, sabotage it? Who will win and will there be fireworks?
6. Racy content and Frat Boy Excursions: McDonalds party on the plane? Enjoying a UFC fight night together? Even more fun watching as Speaker of the House tries to get in on the action and as RFK tags along to both, noticeably uncomfortable.
7. The Good Guy: There has to be at least one upright participant, and we can choose Marco Rubio here. He is about as traditional a Cabinet appointment for Secretary of State can be. Of course, it is worth noting that in reality shows, the good guy usually ends up losing…
Trump knows how to keep people watching. In the right mood, or perhaps at a safe distance this new reality show may entertain… unless of course it eventually becomes tragic.
Stay tuned...
Well written! You managed to perfectly capture Trump’s grandiose fantasy. The next four years are not going to make a bit of sense unless we remember every word of what you’ve written here.