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Last week I received a fascinating email from a longtime reader. Her assessment at first might sound like a salvo at Donald Trump and his family, but it was meant as a compliment to egg them on. She has been a strong Trump supporter since 2016. Her assessment related to the strange style of dress by the Trump family, especially Melania and Ivanka, at the Trump inaugural. Her email heading: “Gangsta.”
“Why did Melania have that stark outfit on?” she began. “No smiles, no eyes.”
Indeed, many puzzled over and pondered Melania’s odd outfit. At her husband’s first inaugural, the model was every bit the fashion plate. Jackie Kennedy never looked that good. Of course, models are notorious for donning some bizarre outfits. Still, this was weird — with black hat and all. Folks online called it a “1930s mobster” or “mafia widow” look. Indeed.
My friend continued: “Why did (Barron) have his hair slicked back? Even Ivanka had the ’30s look … Hmm.”
Yes, the ’30s. Gangster era.
My friend summed up: “Donald Trump is a showman and he and his family sent a message … ‘You’re not going to get away with it. You will be held accountable.’ Can’t wait!!”
My liberal readers are no doubt screaming right now. But hold on.
I’m reminded of a similar metaphor, supplied by a New York friend who has done film documentaries about Italian life. His mom shares a name with a famous Italian filmmaker. He certainly wouldn’t want his name shared here. More important is his insight. I should add that he’s a lifetime Republican who twice voted for Trump, though reluctantly.
He thinks of Donald Trump as akin to an old Mafia don. That is, if you want Trump to like you, you say and do nice things for him. He rewards such people. But if you turn on him, he turns on you. To get along with Trump, you curry his favor.
Liberals who already view Donald Trump as a criminal will both nod and shriek at that comparison.
But despite these intriguing, disturbing insights by my friends, I’m honestly sensing a different Donald Trump nowadays. I’ve never met the man, even as I’ve had opportunities. I do know many people who know him. I’ve learned a lot of firsthand information from them. (I declined an offer to do a biography of Trump.)
My sense is that Trump really does seem different in January 2025 than in January 2017. Why? For many reasons, but the obvious crucial intervening factor is what happened in my hometown of Butler on July 13. A brush with death changes a man. The next time we saw Trump, in Milwaukee, he was visibly different, deeply affected by that trauma. Since then, including in his inaugural address, he has repeatedly said that he’s convinced God spared his life for a special purpose.
The man genuinely seems closer to God. No, he was never a particularly religious man, but he also wasn’t an atheist. He does seem less obnoxious, less narcissistic, maybe humbler, happier. Look at his cheery post-election interactions with Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
As to my friend’s assessment at the start of this column: I think that Donald Trump is less likely to go after his enemies. I don’t think Biden needed to do his outrageous “pre-pardons” before leaving office — constitutional abominations that our great liberal proclaimers of “democracy!” ought to be screaming about.
Are we looking at a new Donald Trump? I think so. How much so remains to be seen.
Paul Kengor is a professor of political science and chief academic fellow of the Institute for Faith & Freedom at Grove City College.
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