Trump’s America Is Really Hulk Hogan’s America
The lies, the grievance, the spectacle—and the political movement built from all three.
1. Hogan’s Funhouse
You cannot understand Donald Trump without professional wrestling. The key text of the Trump era is not a tome of political reporting, but Josie Riesman’s book Ringmaster, which is both a biography of Vince McMahon and an autopsy of American politics.
Wrestling is the Rosetta Stone for Trumpism.
Some readers rebel against this idea, but I want you to hear me out. Because today we’re going to look at a new book about Hulk Hogan and the parallels between Terry Bollea, Hulkamania, Trump, and MAGA will drop you like a heart attack.
This is high concept. And it’s a ride. But it will change the way you look at the world. Oh, also: It goes to five.
I know how annoying the paywall is. I get it. But the vast majority of what we do here is free and if you were ever going to take a chance on Bulwark+, this is the piece to do it.
And if it doesn’t hit for you, you can always cancel. It’s like two clicks.
But this one’s a banger. I’m genuinely excited about the newsletter today because I think it could change your understanding of Trump’s authoritarian proposition.
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