He praises authoritarian leaders, socializes with martial arts celebrities, and has no higher praise than labeling someone a "fighter". Donald Trump is fully embracing the macho vote in November's election—and it's proving effective. The real estate mogul and ex-president has consistently cultivated a frequently cartoonish, hyper-masculine persona—most controversially, boasting about sexual misconduct. Now, with Kamala Harris aiming to become America's first female president, Trump's masculine appeal is under the ultimate scrutiny.
Harris is gaining traction among women and has made abortion rights a central campaign issue. Meanwhile, Trump is unabashedly targeting voters who are passionate about cryptocurrency, the intensely violent Ultimate Fighting Championship, and those who believe society has become overly feminine and "woke". "He resonates with our generation," commented Nick Passano, alongside four tattooed Millennial cryptocurrency enthusiasts who call themselves the Maga Boyz, at Trump's Make America Great Again rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
They sported shirts featuring crude images—Trump giving the middle finger—and declared he should tolerate no more "BS". It may appear far-fetched for a 78-year-old billionaire and golf enthusiast to portray himself as a rebel, but Trump's marketing acumen is unparalleled among US politicians. His reaction to being convicted on 34 felony charges in New York in May was to attend a UFC event a few days later, receiving roaring applause from a crowd of 16,000.
At the July Republican convention, days after surviving an assassination attempt, pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan tore off his shirt and hailed Trump as a "gladiator". Voters seem to be paying attention: a recent ABC News/Ipsos poll shows Trump trailing Harris by five points among men—but Harris leading among women by 13. When President Joe Biden was still campaigning for re-election, Trump's strategy was clear. Despite being only slightly younger than Biden, Trump relentlessly portrayed his opponent as feeble and senile—and relished the verbal blows he landed during their June debate.
The arrival of 59-year-old Harris means Trump is up against a much younger contender. He must also navigate the potential pitfalls of his aggressive—critics might say bullying—approach against a female and African American adversary. However, University of Pittsburgh communications professor Paul Johnson believes Trump won't—and likely can't—alter his tone. Trump is promoting the "Trumpian worldview," Johnson explained—a world that is "harsh" and where "'real Americans' must be prepared to fight for it, to voice uncomfortable and racist truths about the world, and if necessary, to resort to violence."
This is mirrored in Trump's frequent reposting of vulgar, sexualized attacks on Harris and his attempt to play the race card by questioning her true African American identity. For young voters at the Johnstown rally, however, this is simply Trump being undaunted. "Him being himself is why I admire him so much," said Wyatt Waszo, a 21-year-old restaurant worker.
The macho movement extends beyond just Trump. His assertions that Democrats are discarding masculinity and destroying male-dominated blue-collar jobs like manufacturing and mining resonate in key electoral battleground areas like the Rust Belt. This message is echoed across numerous right-wing radio shows and influential podcasts discussing the so-called "male malaise." It's a reaction against globalism and the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, according to Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a professor of history and gender studies at Calvin University.
"Trump's strategy is tapping into fears of losing what you have." A poll by nonpartisan researchers PerryUndem last year revealed that 82 percent of Republican men feel society today penalizes men "just for acting like men." Harris has notably refrained from centering her campaign on the historic aspiration of becoming the first female president. Democrats hope her earthy running mate, Tim Walz, will help balance the ticket in the gender battles. The 60-year-old Minnesota governor, a liberal, is believed to be most helped by his other credentials: military veteran, former school football coach, hunter, and ice-fisherman.
