Trump’s Obsession with Calling People “Losers” Says More About Him Than Jimmy Fallon or Seth Meyers
By: Louise Conley
Donald Trump recently took another cheap shot by labeling late night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers as “losers.” This is nothing new from him. His entire public persona is built on insults, bullying and shallow attacks that expose his insecurity rather than any kind of real strength.
A true leader does not waste time picking fights with comedians. Leadership requires discipline, humility and vision. Trump has shown none of these qualities. Instead he leans on childish name calling and petty rants that reveal just how fragile his ego really is.
Fallon and Meyers do what late night hosts have always done. They hold up a mirror to politics and culture and they use comedy to point out the absurdity of those in power. Trump is not just lashing out at two entertainers. He is attempting to intimidate free speech itself. That is not strength. That is fear.
Beyond the insults lies a more serious problem. Trump repeatedly blurred the lines between his presidency and his personal businesses. Foreign governments spent more than $750,000 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington during sensitive periods in U.S. relations with them, with some room rates as high as $10,000 per night, according to documents from his family company’s accountants released by Congress [1].
In addition, watchdog reporting documented at least 150 foreign officials visiting Trump-owned properties while he was in office, many coinciding with official government business [2]. These examples underline how Trump treated the presidency as though it was a branding tool, not a public trust.
There is also the question of who truly benefited from his presidency. His campaign was padded with opaque donors and powerful figures who clearly expected returns on their investment [3]. Trump has always been more loyal to money and influence than to the people he was elected to serve. If anyone is working on an agenda it is him, not Fallon or Meyers.
His verbal rages online also carry consequences far more dangerous than just embarrassing himself. Social science research shows that dehumanizing political rhetoric can facilitate violence by loosening moral restraints and making cruelty more likely [4]. Another peer reviewed study found that exposure to threatening rhetoric from partisan elites increases support for political violence, especially among those already strongly identifying with a political party [5]. Trump poured gasoline on that fire every single time he logged on.
When Trump shouts “loser” at others, remember the truth. It is a distraction tactic. He wants the public to focus on his insults instead of his incompetence, corruption and lack of basic etiquette. The title of “loser” fits him more than anyone he tries to smear.
The real loser is the man who once had the most powerful position in the world and squandered it on tantrums, self promotion, online tirades and endless battles with anyone who dared to laugh.
Sources
[1] Associated Press – Documents show foreign governments spent more than $750,000 at Trump hotel in Washington during sensitive diplomatic periods.
[2] Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) – Report on at least 150 foreign officials visiting Trump properties while he was president.
[3] OpenSecrets – Analysis of opaque and major donor contributions to Trump’s 2020 campaign.
[4] National Library of Medicine – Research on how dehumanizing rhetoric increases willingness to support violence.
[5] SpringerLink – Study on threatening rhetoric from partisan elites increasing public support for political violence.