Don't be weak, don't be stupid

By Ivabelle Arroyo

"Don't be weak, don't be stupid," Donald Trump wrote on social media alluding to the stock market plunge. "Be strong, be brave, be patient", he continued. The message, intended for investors, seems more like a military man's harangue to his troops before going into battle. A few will die, but what does that matter in the face of the greatness that can be achieved. Thus Trump. In fact, his comment ends like this, "Greatness will be the result!" The least I can do is raise my eyebrow. The least. 

When Trump says this, he is not making an economic argument. He is marking territory and using tariffs as a show of force, as if governing were a bar fight. He's not acting as a technical fixer, but as a macho man showing off and reinforcing the values of dominant masculinity: that of strength, assertiveness, order, hierarchy, bravery. The sad thing is that it works for him because that style connects with a part of the electorate that feels displaced and wants to see the boss pounding the table.

For that audience, tariffs don't have to work, they have to command respect. And, in some sense, they do. While baring his teeth, Trump is pushing toward a new global political order. It's not just trade anymore: it's power. And yes, many countries - including powers - are recalculating their position vis-à-vis the United States. That strong leader narrative is gaining ground.

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