"TRUMP'S CULT: A NATION IN PERIL"

Commemoration vs. Cultish Canonization: when lawmakers worship power over principle, democracy dies in the shadow of idolatry.

Michael Cohen Mar 23

Let me be clear: we’re not witnessing a political movement. We’re watching a cult; an all-consuming, leader-worshipping, power-obsessed cult with a singular devotion to one man, Donald J. Trump. This is no longer about policy or governance. It’s about subservience, blind loyalty, and the disturbing, almost religious deification of a man who cares for no one but himself. The cult has long since consumed the MAGA base, but what makes it infinitely more dangerous is that it has now infected the very halls of Congress.

If you want proof, look no further than the latest act of unhinged sycophancy: legislation introduced by freshman Congressman Addison McDowell to rename Washington Dulles International Airport after the messiah himself; The Donald J. Trump International Airport. Because nothing screams "freedom and democracy" quite like landing at an airport named after the guy who tried to overturn a free and fair election and incited an insurrection.

And McDowell isn’t alone. He’s merely the newest apostle in a congregation of congressional cultists. Representatives Guy Reschenthaler, Riley Morre, and Brian Jack have all signed on as co-sponsors. But they didn’t stop with renaming an airport. Oh no. These legislative lemmings have proposed adding Trump's face to Mount Rushmore; an honor traditionally reserved for dead presidents whose legacies, you know, actually advanced the republic. But apparently, launching a coup and whining about toilets with low water pressure qualifies you for rock-carved immortality these days.

Still not satisfied, the cultists want to go further. They’ve proposed replacing Benjamin Franklin’s face on the $100 bill with that of Donald J. Trump. Yes, Franklin; the Founding Father who championed democracy, free speech, and scientific progress, would be replaced by a man whose notable contributions to the country are….well, I actually don’t know! You can practically hear Franklin screaming from the afterlife, “You fuckin morons.”

In a functioning democracy, placing a leader’s face on currency, naming major infrastructure after them, or carving their likeness into a national monument is meant to commemorate their achievements. It’s a posthumous honor, a reflection of their enduring legacy. It is not, and should never be, a tribute bestowed upon the living; especially one still actively in office. Doing so doesn’t just break with tradition; it smacks of the kind of despotic glorification you’d expect in Pyongyang or Moscow.

Think about it. When was the last time you saw a democratic nation slapping its leader’s face on money while they were still actively holding or pursuing power? That’s dictator-level vanity. It’s a grotesque attempt at immortalizing a man who has done nothing but undermine the very institutions that currency and monuments are meant to represent.

But let’s not kid ourselves; this isn’t really about honoring Trump. No, these Republican lawmakers aren’t pushing this legislation out of respect for his “achievements” (unless you count having the worst job creation record since Herbert Hoover and a criminal record longer than his red ties). It’s about fealty. These bills are nothing more than pathetic, performative pledges of allegiance. And trust me…I know this firsthand as being a loyalist!

For McDowell and his co-sponsors, this isn’t policy; it’s political fan fiction, crafted to win the favor of their Dear Leader. It’s the legislative equivalent of dogs groveling for table scraps. They’re throwing out these ridiculous, sycophantic proposals in the hopes that Trump will toss them a retweet, a Truth Social post, or maybe; if they’re lucky, a condescending pat on the head during a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser.

And let’s not forget the timing. This isn’t happening posthumously or during some reflective moment in history. It’s happening while Trump is president, making these proposals not just absurd, but dangerous. They serve as propaganda tools; an early campaign slogan for a third term carved in stone, currency, and airports.

The truly insidious part of this cultish adulation is the normalization of authoritarianism. The more these lawmakers exalt Trump, the more they erode the guardrails of democracy. By attempting to immortalize him in stone and currency, they are actively participating in the rewriting of history; in real-time.

And let me tell you from personal experience: Trump demands fealty, not loyalty. Loyalty implies trust. Fealty demands total subjugation. These congressmen are lining up to offer their legislative throats, hoping Trump will metaphorically place his foot upon them in approval. It’s disgusting, undignified, and it signals how deeply his cult has metastasized and replaced the Republican Party.

And if you think this is just about airports and money, think again. This is about deifying Trump in the eyes of his base, and expanding it even further as an icon of American greatness. It’s about making his divisive, unconstitutional and unorthodox policies irrelevant by rendering him larger than life; a permanent fixture of the national landscape.

I’ve been on the inside. I’ve seen how this man operates. And I’m telling you, this is how authoritarianism takes hold. I have been warning the public of this for years. It doesn’t arrive with a bang. It creeps in through insane, seemingly laughable legislation. It disguises itself as “honors” and “tributes,” but its true purpose is to cement power, rewrite history, and demand total and unconditional obedience.

The absurdity of renaming an airport or putting Trump on the $100 bill isn’t just laughable; it’s a warning. It’s a glimpse into the dystopian future these cultists want: a future where Trump’s face stares back at you from your wallet, where you land at an airport named after the man who incited a coup, and where a new face looms over Mount Rushmore; a face that scowls with contempt for democracy itself.

And the worst part? They’re only getting started.

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