Rebuttal: Trump’s #voteformeagain not #metoo

credit: NYMag

It was all over the news and the latest talk among the people. The Ford-Kavanaugh case. In short, Kavanaugh was a candidate for the Supreme Court in the United States but ironically found himself put before a court. A woman named Ford presented sexual harassment allegations against Kavanaugh from their time at Yale University. Even though, more women came forward Kavanaugh was sworn in the Supreme Court by a minimal majority of 51 against 49 votes. 


Trump publicly supported Kavanaugh which made his appointment politicized. While the judiciary institution should be neutral. Kavanaugh even blamed the Democrats for this “crusade” and was supported in this view by the President who said “Kavanaugh is a good man” and “it is shameful that the Democrats try to destroy this man’s reputation”

PRP and Trump

In her Blog, Floortje Makkenze argues that PRP (public relations professionals) together with Trump had the chance to combat the political unrest by dismissing Kavanaugh’s possible appointment as judge. In her last point Floortje argues it would make Trump more credible and unify the Senate. From a democratic viewpoint and the current state of politics in the US I completely agree with her. However, I think she misses the point that Trump’s registration is constructed on polarization and his PRP probably agreed on this. His tactic on supporting Kavanaugh even gained him popularity among his constituents and his approval rating are now higher than before.

credit: DailyExpress

After Trump mocked Ford at a Mississippi rally most of the Republicans where afraid of tremendous backlash. Not even was this not the case, donations and positive reactions flooded the party. Seth Mendel of the Atlantic noticed “Mild-mannered anti-Trump conservatives would, in private conversations, fume at Kavanaugh’s treatment and insist Democrats had crossed a line and could not be appeased—the judge had to become a justice”. The supporting of Kavanaugh is just a small slice of Trump’s strategic pie. Which include dividing the population and continuously feeding Republican voters a piece filled with fear and anger.

Terror Management Theory

Why would Trump do that you may wonder? Well it turns out a fearful and angry voter makes a reliable voter. This is backed by Terror Management Theory (TMT). TMT explains that when people are angry or afraid they increase support of people who share the same world views, nationality or even ethnic identity and will lash out more aggressively to those who attack ‘their group’. The attacks on the media and democrats create a constant existential threat to this ‘inner group’ of Republicans. This even creates a psychological process in which individuals respond positively rather than negatively to bigoted statements and divisive rhetoric (Jost et al, 2003). 

Trump has been fear mongering throughout his campaign claiming the country is going to ruins. America is under attack by leftists, terrorists, immigrants, etc. If I would continue this list of enemies of the ‘true American identity’ in Trump’s world it would be higher than his towers.

Trump doesn’t want to reduce tension and a unified Senate as he has been thriving on the chaos. 

Want to know more about Terror Management Theory?

Jost, J., Glaser, J., Kruglanski, A., Sulloway, F., & Cooper, Harris. (2003). Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition. Psychological Bulletin, 129(3), 339-375.

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Wessel de Vries
Student at the University of Amsterdam

PR Media and Public