We are at the peak of a particularly venomous American election campaign, and amid weary speeches, Trump clings to center stage like a character from a dark comedy. All forecasts favor Kamala Harris, the candidate who, ironically, is the perfect antithesis to the former tycoon: a woman of color, miles away from the image Trump has always cultivated. Yet he doesn’t give up, which is the true, twisted appeal of this modern tragedy—a once-powerful ex-president, now engulfed in scandals, accusations, and a past steeped in tabloid trials.
Hollywood shudders, not at Trump, but at Diddy and his debauched parties—a theater of excess more reminiscent of a descent into hell than a glamorous event. Trump’s past, however, is linked to this kind of spectacle, feeding on tales of money, power, and an unending stream of allegations. Despite convictions for defamation against Jean Carroll and hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels, he remains an icon for a segment of angry America that ignores the signs of decay around him, seeing him as an “everyman.”
Yet Trump is more than just his scandals; he embodies a deep malaise, the dark side of unrestrained capitalism that has eroded the West’s soul. As a symbol of ruthless materialism, he has disappointed both winners and losers alike—even becoming a paradoxical idol for some evangelical Christians who see past his flaws.
Trump’s potential victory would only intensify his solitary nature, as he’s despised even within his own party, caricatured by Republicans nostalgic for the dignity of the Bush and Reagan eras. Still, Trumpism carries its own potent, mystifying strength—a form of American populism that mirrors global discontent, the dull roar of a society crushed by a system that no longer rejuvenates itself.
Even Trump’s supporters see him as a clown, but he’s not the root of the problem—he’s merely the latest symptom of a malaise rooted in American culture, sustained by narcissism and delusion. Meanwhile, as Russia and China reshape global order, Trump wages battles on abortion, immigration, and Christian values, like an outdated gladiator oblivious to a changed arena.
If Harris wins, as many predict, Trump might end up behind bars, scrolling through the news as just another desperate soul. But if, by some improbable twist, he prevails again, he could be the perfect president to witness the sunset of a crumbling empire.