When the Gullible Choose: Trump, Farage, Simion, and the Global Drift Right

For the past 80 years, the United States has been a beacon of hope. Although far from perfect, it represented a form of government that liberty-loving people around the world could aspire to, in contrast to autocratic and communist regimes. Sadly, as we prepare to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the U.S., under Trump, has become a textbook example of how a populist, demagogic, and ultra-nationalist regime can be implemented by pseudo-politicians to deceive gullible—and often desperate—segments of the population. The list of such figures is already too long. The latest additions: Nigel Farage’s comeback in the UK and George Simion in Romania.

What did Trump do in his first 100 days of his second term?

• On his first day in office as the 47th President of the United States, Trump issued pardons to individuals convicted in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot, referring to them as “political prisoners.”
• He rolled back Biden-era climate policies, prioritising fossil fuel production and infrastructure over renewable energy initiatives. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. has withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement under his directive.
• He announced the elimination of the Department of Education, redirecting its funding to an online platform called the “American Academy,” which offers tuition-free college credentials. His administration also plans to tax large university endowments and take over accreditation processes, aiming to counter perceived liberal bias in higher education.
• He is expanding the U.S. military and developing a new missile defense shield, while expressing skepticism toward NATO. In a series of controversial moves, he suggested absorbing Greenland, claimed Canada should become the 51st state, and tarnished U.S. diplomatic integrity by attempting to humiliate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. More recently, he mocked the papal election process by presenting himself in papal robes.
• The administration launched a large-scale deportation program, offering $1,000 and travel expenses to undocumented immigrants for voluntary self-deportation while people are being detained in the streets and deported without due process.
• Perhaps the most iconic of his policies is the imposition of tariffs. Trump has enacted a 10% universal tariff on all imports and proposed a 60% tariff on Chinese goods, under the premise of protecting American industries and reducing foreign dependence.

Authoritarianism 2.0: How Demagogues Are Hijacking Democracies. Trump, an example to follow

Although repudiated by the Trump–Musk alliance, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has secured a narrow victory in a parliamentary by-election, overturning a substantial Labour majority. Sarah Pochin won by just six votes, making it one of the closest by-election results in British history.

Reform UK has made substantial inroads in recent local elections:

• Staffordshire County Council: Won 49 out of 62 seats, seizing control from the Conservatives.
• Derbyshire County Council: Gained 42 seats and ended long-standing Conservative control.
• West Northamptonshire Council: Took full control, increasing its representation from zero to 42 seats.
• Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral Election: Andrea Jenkyns of Reform UK was elected as the region’s first-ever mayor, winning 42% of the vote.

Reform UK’s membership has now surpassed 200,000, overtaking the Conservative Party’s reported figures. Farage celebrated this rapid growth, positioning his party as a formidable political force. Why? In a nutshell: because he promises to undo virtually all the measures implemented by the Labour government. It doesn’t seem to matter how—or even whether—it would be possible for a party with no real history or governing experience to deliver on such promises. It works in the U.S., so why not in Britain?

Councils under Reform UK’s control have already implemented a controversial policy banning the display of all flags except the Union Jack, England’s St George’s Cross, and county flags. And this, Farage suggests, is just the beginning.

Romania Is Next

In Romania, George Simion—a football fan turned political leader—secured 41% of the vote in the first round of the presidential election on May 5. He refused to participate in any debates, snubbing not only his opponents but, more importantly, the electorate. It didn’t matter. He isn’t seen as part of the system. He proudly calls himself the “Viktor Orbán of Romania.” And if a TV host can become president of the most powerful country on Earth, why not a football fan who openly admires Donald Trump?

Calling Romanian voters “gullible” may be an understatement. Some admitted to voting last November for the projected future prime minister, Călin Georgescu, despite having no idea who he was or what he stood for.

Romania is on the edge of a precipice. The consequences of the vote have already been felt: the stock market opened the week in the red. A similar result in the final round could mark the beginning of the end for Romania’s economy. Simion is advocating a nationalization process modeled after Venezuela. Romanian democracy—if it survives—may come to resemble the authoritarian regimes of Belarus or Turkey, far removed from the principles of the European Union. The consequences will come, and they may come quickly.

Conclusion

We live in a world in turmoil. Respect for others, empathy, and common sense seem to have vanished. It’s just “me” versus the rest. We live in the age of Facebook and Twitter, where anyone—regardless of education or competence—can become a self-proclaimed prophet. A world where people stop vaccinating their children because of an online post or a pseudo-study. A world heading toward disaster—just as we are meant to be commemorating the end of a dark six-year period that happened to be the deadliest in human history. A conflict whose roots were in attitudes and policies which bear a striking resemble to all of the above.