Introduction
The rise of Donald Trump is more than a political event—it reflects a deep psycho-political transformation in American society.
In today’s world, politics is driven less by policy or ideology and more by emotion, identity, fear, and the construction of the “Other.”
Trump understood and weaponized this dynamic better than any recent political leader, turning identity into the central organizing force of his movement.
To unpack this phenomenon, two analytical frameworks are essential:
- Identity Politics and Nationalism (drawing on Image Theory), and
- The Lacanian Concept of the Other (l’Autre).
Together, they reveal why Trump’s discourse has endured beyond his presidency—why Trumpism persists as a structure of feeling in the American collective psyche.
Part I: Trump and Identity Politics—When “Us vs. Them” Becomes a Program
Group Identity: The Core Engine of Trump’s Politics
In classical theories of nationalism, nations are constructed through a symbolic divide between “us” and “them.”
Ordinarily, this divide remains implicit, but Trump placed it at the center of his political narrative.
He redefined politics as an existential confrontation:
- Us = the “real people,” authentic Americans, victims of elites.
- Them = immigrants, liberals, the media, minorities, and globalists.
Trump thus positioned himself not merely as a representative but as the creator of collective identity—an identity defined not by shared citizenship but by cultural kinship.
Reversing the Pyramid of Loyalty
According to the theory of Political Identities, loyalties form at three levels:
- Primary: The nation-state as an inclusive whole.
- Secondary: Ethnic, racial, or cultural communities.
- Tertiary: Political parties or interest groups.
Trump inverted this hierarchy.
The unifying loyalty to a pluralistic America was replaced by loyalty to a mythic “cultural nation”—a homogeneous, idealized version of America that he claimed to embody.
This inversion lies at the root of America’s ongoing polarization.
Image Theory and the Construction of the Other
Image Theory explains how groups interpret others through mental “images,” each implying specific behaviors and moral stances:
| Image | Capability | Culture | Intent | Decision-Makers | Perception |
| Enemy | Equal | Equal | Harmful | Few elites | Threat |
| Imperialist | Superior | Inferior | Exploitative | Few elites | Threat |
| Rogue | Weak | Inferior | Malicious | Small group | Threat |
| Ally | Equal | Equal | Benevolent | Broad group | Opportunity |
Trump’s rhetoric employed these images masterfully:
- Illegal immigrants → “Rogues”
- Global elites → “Imperialists”
- Supporters → “Allies” in need of protection
Politics, under this schema, ceased to be dialogue and became a moral battle.
Disagreement turned into betrayal; criticism became treason.
Why This Narrative Appeals
- In-Group Cohesion: Defining enemies strengthens unity.
- Cognitive Simplicity: Complex social issues are reduced to “us vs. them.”
- Emotional Mobilization: Fear, anger, and resentment become political fuel.
- The Savior Archetype: Trump appears as the lone truth-teller defending the people.
This fusion of psychology and politics granted Trump unparalleled affective power within his base.
Part II: The Lacanian Other—The Psychic Structure of Trumpism
Lacan: Politics as the Management of Lack
In Lacanian psychoanalysis, both individuals and societies are organized around lack—the sense that something essential is missing.
Trump intuitively exploited this structural absence:
- Economic decline.
- The loss of greatness.
- Cultural dislocation.
- Uncontrolled borders.
- The erosion of “authentic identity.”
He named the lack and then personified it in a concrete Other—migrants, elites, liberals—who were blamed for stealing the object of desire.
The Mirror Stage: Trump as the Image of Wholeness
In Lacan’s mirror stage, the fragmented subject attains temporary stability by identifying with a coherent image.
Trump functions as that mirror for many Americans.
His slogans—“Make America Great Again”, “Take Back Our Country”, “Law and Order”—promise a vision of wholeness and control.
It is an illusion, yet one that satisfies a deep psychological need for unity.
The Little Other and the Big Other
- The little other (a) represents concrete antagonists: immigrants, liberals, the media.
- The Big Other (A) embodies abstract authority—nation, law, order.
By declaring himself the voice of Law and Order, Trump occupies the place of the Big Other.
He becomes the symbolic embodiment of the nation and its moral authority.
Fantasy and the Return of Greatness
“Make America Great Again” operates as a Lacanian fantasy—a promise of restoring a completeness that never truly existed.
Such fantasies endure precisely because they can never be fully realized.
To sustain them, there must always be an obstacle—an Other who prevents fulfillment.
Hence, the permanence of antagonism in Trumpism is not accidental but structural.
Jouissance and the Logic of Resentment
Lacan’s notion of jouissance—the painful pleasure derived from imagining that “the Other is enjoying what we cannot”—explains the persistence of political hatred.
Trump weaponized this dynamic by evoking the belief that:
- “They are taking our jobs.”
- “They are abusing our laws.”
- “They are laughing at us.”
This sense of stolen enjoyment fuels enduring resentment and collective rage—the emotional core of American populism.
Conclusion: Why Trump’s Discourse Endures
From a nationalist perspective, Trump reshaped American politics by redefining identity through the “us vs. them” divide and reversing traditional loyalties.
From a Lacanian standpoint, this divide responds to a psychological need for coherence, meaning, and belonging.
The Other, the fantasy of wholeness, and the management of lack together create a psycho-social structure that outlives the individual leader.
Trumpism is therefore not a temporary political strategy;
it is a psycho-political formation—a narrative of desire, fear, and identity that continues to shape American populism long after Trump himself.
Meta Description (SEO)
A psycho-political analysis of Donald Trump, identity politics, nationalism, and the Lacanian concept of the Other—exploring why Trumpism remains a lasting force in American populism.
References
- Anderson, B. (1983). Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Verso.
- Gellner, E. (1983). Nations and Nationalism. Cornell University Press.
- Lacan, J. (1977). Écrits: A Selection. W. W. Norton.
- Žižek, S. (1989). The Sublime Object of Ideology. Verso.
- Mouffe, C. (2018). For a Left Populism. Verso.
- Laclau, E. (2005). On Populist Reason. Verso.
- Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1986). The Social Identity Theory of Intergroup Behavior. In S. Worchel & W. G. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of Intergroup Relations (pp. 7–24). Nelson-Hall.
- Wodak, R. (2015). The Politics of Fear: What Right-Wing Populist Discourses Mean. SAGE Publications.
