Donald Trump is a Great Man

My thoughts on Trump and MAGA.

Nov 19, 2024

“There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.”

― William Shakespeare , Julius Caesar

Donald J. Trump is a Great Man, and the MAGA movement is the greatest opportunity that the Right has had to get America, and itself, back on track.

Far before his campaign for President began, Trump was a man of great wealth, power, influence, and fame. Everyone knew who he was. Donald was set up for this success from the start, though his own intelligence and creative powers no doubt ensured his prominence. He had his failures, but he had his victories too. Nevertheless, prior to his campaign, Trump was just a famous, wealthy personality.

When Trump announced his campaign for President in 2015, something changed. The nature of Trump as a figure changed. There is an online article by Villanova University which attempts to explain Great Man theory. In that article, they claim there are two assumptions that the Great Man theory of Leadership rests upon:

Great leaders are born possessing certain traits that enable them to rise and lead.
Great leaders can arise when the need for them is great.1

Was Trump born possessing certain traits that enabled him to rise to a position of leadership? Has Donald Trump’s rise to power coincided with a great need of some sort? I would argue yes on both points.

The “need” in 2015 was for a new American political movement that could stand against the Leftist agenda of, frankly, destroying America. That need remains today.

Trump’s campaign announcement is cemented in history already. As he descended the golden escalator, we knew something was different about this moment. There was something monumental about it. What he said during his announcement shocked the pundit class. Trump said that working Americans already felt.

“Our country is in serious trouble. We don’t have victories any more. We used to have victories, but we don’t have them. When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let’s say, China, in a trade deal?… When did we beat Japan in anything? They send their cars over in million. And what do we do? When was the last time you saw Chevrolet in Tokyo?…When do we beat Mexico at the border? They’re laughing at us, at our stupidity. Now they’re beating us economically, and they’re not our friend…The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everyone else’s problems…When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending YOU…they’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with [them]…”2

Trump’s message was simple and to the point: Make America Great Again. His campaign had that singular goal in mind, and it resonated with Americans, because they knew there was something gravely wrong with this country. It is revealing that a little red hat emboldened with that slogan has become such a potent symbol, containing so much meaning, some imparted and some inherent. Since 2021, Trump’s message has gotten even simpler, “Save America,” matching the dire situation the country finds itself in.

The fact of the matter—and I really believe this—is that Trump believes in America. He loves this country. Moreover, he loves Americans. He really cares about you and me. You don’t agree? Consider this:

Trump lived a lavish, comfortable lifestyle. He had everything a person would ordinarily want. He had immense wealth, he had widespread fame, he had a large family; he had written books, hosted a TV show, owned businesses, and was consulted regularly by the media. Trump was set. Then, he set that aside so that he could run for President. He said in his opening speech that this was not normal and not what was expected of people like him. Indeed, a run for President could be very disastrous. He could lose millions, have his reputation ruined, and his family torn apart. But he did it anyway. He financed it himself. He spoke to the Americans who had been neglected for so long. The media, the Democrats, and even the Republicans did everything they could to slander Trump and tear him down. None of it worked. Fast forward to 2021, after years of abuse, Trump is pursued by the federal government itself.

Fast forward again to that fateful day, July 13, 2024, when Trump nearly lost his life. Nothing but Fortune can explain his survival. The shooter, who had a clear and easy headshot, struck Trump’s ear just as Trump turned his head. Trump fell to the ground and in that moment, he says on Joe Rogan that he felt nothing but resolve and clarity. He knew exactly what happened. He stood up, he lifted his fist, and with nothing but anger on his face he shouted “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Trump said during his RNC speech that, “There was blood pouring everywhere and, yet, in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side. I thank him.” Later, he said “And I’ll tell you, I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God.”

I want to reprint here the transcript of part of Trump’s acceptance speech at the RNC, because I think it is important we hear this again.

In watching the reports over the last few days, many people say it was a providential moment. Probably was. When I rose surrounded by Secret Service, the crowd was confused because they thought I was dead. And there was great, great sorrow. I could see that on their faces as I looked out. They didn’t know I was looking out, they thought it was over. But I could see it, I wanted to do something to let ‘em know I was ok. I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people who were breathlessly waiting and started shouting, Fight! Fight! Fight!
[Audience erupts in “Fight! Fight! Fight!” chant]
Thank you. Once my clenched fist went up, and it was high into the air, you’ve all seen that. The crowd realized I was OK and roared with pride for our country like no crowd I have ever heard before.
[Applause]
Never heard anything like that. For the rest of my life I will be grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of patriots that stood bravely on that fateful evening in Pennsylvania…
[Author’s note: After speaking about Corey Comperatore, who tragically lost his life, Trump said]
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for others. This is the spirit that forged America in her darkest hours, and this is the love that will lead America back to the summit of human achievement and greatness. This is what we need. Despite such a heinous attack, we unite this evening more determined than ever. I am more determined than ever, and so are you, and so is everybody in this room.

Donald Trump nearly died for love of this country, and his response to being shot was simply to urge the people he describes as “patriots” to continue fighting.

This is not the behavior of someone who cares only for themselves, or of someone who is insincere and skiddish. This is the behavior of a brave, determined, and strong person who believes everything they are fighting for. I’ve never taken a bullet for this country or for anyone at all. You, probably, have not either. That Trump has, and that he took that bullet in stride, automatically makes him a far greater man than you or me.

Even further, Trump has done exactly what Great Men as historical figures are known to do. He has mobilized a mass movement, he has definitively shaped the politics and culture of this moment in history, and he has changed the trajectory of the country. US politics cannot help but revolve around Trump as a figure, because that is just what happens when a Great Man emerges. Some will, of course, complain that Trump is an imperfect person or that he has a sinful past (Which of us does not? Plus, isn’t forgiveness supposed to be something we practice as Christians? The Trump of today is far different than the Trump of the 80s or 90s). Some will say Trump is too nice to Israel or that his first term was not a resounding success. Others will say Trump is not strong enough on the pro-life issue, or that he isn’t anti-LGBT enough.

Yes, of course, we can all say Trump ought to do this or Trump ought to do that. I am certainly more pro-life than Trump, yet I recognize something important that JD Vance has also recognized: campaigning on a national abortion ban and abortion abolitionism is not a viable path to victory, and does more harm than good. I recognize that geopolitics is more complex than “Jew bad.” I recognize that that the issue of so-called same-sex marriage is not currently an actionable policy item; we are unable to prohibit it at this point, and popular opinion is just not there to remove it. I also recognize that Trump made poor personnel decisions during his first term that really negatively affected it. Hell even Trump recognized that in his Joe Rogan interview. Nevertheless, I also recognize that Trump has learned from that mistake and that this term is certainly going to look very different.

With all this being said, I state again: Donald J. Trump is a Great Man of History, and he is a greater person than you or me will ever be. Trump has put more skin in the game than any of us, and his actions are infinitely more valuable than our small-time Substack blogging.

I want to return to the second thing I said at the beginning of this essay, that MAGA is the greatest opportunity that the Right has had to get America, and itself, back on track. I really mean this. What is MAGA? Fundamentally, it is the idea that America has been going bad, that something is deeply wrong, and that fundamentally our country used to be great but has fallen from that station. In terms of policy, MAGA is quite simple. One only needs to look at the Trump campaign platform, Agenda 47.

There is more to say about the MAGA movement, though. We must speak of its character. MAGA is, at its core, patriotic. It is not afraid to say so either. MAGA has a deep appreciation for America and the founding values of this country. MAGA is also populist, in the sense that it is concerned with the everyday issues that affect Americans, and that it appeals to '“average” and even forgotten Americans; the kind of people who live in “flyover country.” MAGA is pluralist. It is comprised of many groups, some of which would not ordinarily be allied. For instance, take American Evangelicals and the secular Right. These two groups have lots of overlap on many issues but also, obviously, have some strong disagreements. Nevertheless, Trump has managed to get them under the same tent and on board with the same movement.

MAGA is not perfect. I am sure we could all object to how it isn’t strong enough on X or is too strong on Y. But the truth is that no political movement is perfect. No political movement can bring about utopia.

Unfortunately some people do not quite realize this. They think a political movement must be 100% pure, that it must appeal to all their pet issues, that it must have no spots or blemishes, and that it must, above all, not count among its flock certain “undesirables” (who is undesirable depends on who you ask, of course). This kind of thinking inevitably leads to defeat.

I believe we must observe a basic principle that Shakespeare so beautifully illustrated in Julius Caesar. There is a reason I placed that at the beginning of this essay; it encapsulates my mindset in regards to MAGA and Trump.

The intelligent among you will understand these verses as they relate to MAGA.

MAGA is, as it were, a door opening. It is an opportunity presenting itself to us. It is spark which has the potential to set this country aflame.

Today I published this note:

In it, I said MAGA is the greatest movement that American Conservatism is capable of producing. I mean that totally. To be clear, I am not saying MAGA is the absolute perfection of politics. I am saying it is the best we are capable of right now. American Conservatism has produced movements before; Neo-Conservatism, the Tea Party, and whatever Mike Pence is. All of these were abysmal failures. MAGA, however, has succeeded not once but twice, and its success in 2024 is the best Republicans have performed since 2004 (and I remind you that that 2004 performance was all thanks to being a wartime President facing a weak opponent). MAGA has allowed the Right to say things it could never have said before. We can speak openly about mass migration (the existential threat of our time). We can speak openly about the threat of DEI. We can speak openly of the threat of foreign wars and interventionism. We can speak, finally, of making huge cuts to the federal government without being laughed away and called Loony Libertarians.

Finally, I said that whatever good America has in store can only flow from MAGA. I mean that too. It is the only movement potent enough, broad enough, and lively enough to enact serious change and shift the trajectory that this country has been on for years (one leading to utter destruction).

I conclude the same way I began: Donald J. Trump is a Great Man, and MAGA is the greatest opportunity that the Right has had to get America, and itself, back on track.

A certain “Pedro Gonzalez” attacked me for this, saying I was betraying Ernst Jünger by supporting Trump, because that is apparently akin to supporting the Nazis, which Jünger did not do. There is just one problem. Trump and MAGA are, actually, nothing like National Socialism. Trump is not Adolf Hitler.

Would Jünger be bullish about America’s future? Would he even care? What would he say about Trump and MAGA? Who can say. He is not alive. We know that Jünger predicted the 21st century to be an “interim” period. We know of his skepticism of technology. We know he believed a world state was coming (we aren’t quite there yet, not as he envisioned anyways). We also know his thought underwent a lot of development over the years, and even until his last days. For instance, his conversion was quite late indeed. So who can say exactly what Jünger would say about the situation today? We can guess, and perhaps I might, but ultimately, though I love and admire Jünger, he is not like Sacred Scripture to me. I do not feel the need to pore over his writings to try and discern whether or not I think he would support MAGA or Trump, or what he would say about them.

Plus, I feel the need to remind people again and again that supporting something, specifically a political movement or figure, doesn’t necessitate that one believe that movement or figure be the end-all. Anyone who has kept up with me, whether it be during my days on X or now here on Substack, knows where I stand on many issues. If you read me, you’d know I am a techno-skeptic, that I am not what you’d call a “democrat,” and that I believe this world desperately needs Jesus Christ more than anything else.

Nevertheless, I am also someone who believes we have an obligation to do the best we can when we have the opportunity to do it. Right now, I think MAGA is the best we can do, that Trump is the best man for the job, and that this is the opportunity of a lifetime, if not the opportunity of a century, to change the trajectory of history for the better.

At the end of the day, I love this country and I think it is worth saving. Do you?

Shoutout to

Jonathan Keeperman

for this excellent piece, which was the final straw that moved me to write my own: