The arrival of President-elect Donald Trump back at the White House marks the return of a long-standing reality spectacle, as stated by The Daily Beast’s Chief Content Officer Joanna Coles during her guest appearance on Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway’s podcast, Pivot. She portrayed the American populace as participants in a “vast human drama.”
(If the 2024 election represented a “tribe has spoken” scenario, it indicated that Trump supporters held the majority of the votes.)
Prior to his political career, Trump polished his performance techniques over sixteen seasons of The Apprentice; these entertainment skills manifested in his flamboyant approach to governance, substituting conventional policy and diplomatic engagement for sound bites and confrontations, even repurposing his signature phrase “You’re fired!” for sudden staff changes throughout his administration.
“Trump is the consummate entertainer. That’s the reason he’s president,” Coles remarked to Swisher and Galloway, highlighting how Trump’s unparalleled command of media and chaos continues to steer American political discourse.
Coles characterized Trump as a “tabloid president”—a figure who didn’t merely make headlines but became them. His unconventional tactics proved effective. Trump’s backers are not just constituents; they are enthusiasts. They don his slogans and icons—including dark MAGA and the trash bag—like merchandise while also donning these symbols as team colors; they flock to his rallies much like fans attending major concerts; they embrace the inherent contradictions within his candidacy with affection. Trump has skillfully positioned himself as both a representation of “success” and, paradoxically, someone who resonates with the experiences of the working class.
This recent election cycle was anything but “business as usual,” Coles contended, further noting that Democrats did not adjust to his unorthodox strategies.
They were engaged in entirely different contests, possibly with varying consequences: “He encountered two choices: face imprisonment or win the presidency,” Coles stated, referring to Trump’s “remarkable political resurgence” as a narrative more bizarre than fiction.
Meanwhile, Justin Wells, a seasoned producer for Tucker Carlson, is taking advantage of this phenomenon with Art of the Surge: The Donald Trump Comeback, a docuseries that has documented the latter stages of Trump’s 2024 campaign and will continue to capture his transition back into the White House.
Yet, while Trump may be navigating (and governing) through the lens of a camera, for the American people, it’s merely The Real World.
