President Donald Trump’s increased self-promotion during his second term has renewed debate among historians and political observers over whether the U.S. is seeing the emergence of a modern cult of personality, according to The New York Times.
Over the past year, Trump has been depicted — and at times has promoted depictions of himself — as a heroic or larger-than-life figure. These portrayals have included images of him as a monarch, a religious leader, a superhero and a Jedi knight. His image has appeared on large banners on federal buildings, on annual national park passes and in proposals to place his likeness on U.S. currency. His name has also been attached to major cultural and federal institutions, including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as well as to proposals for naming a new class of battleships.
The White House and Trump’s allies have supported these efforts, saying he will be remembered as one of the most consequential presidents of his era and arguing that such recognition is deserved.
Historians, however, note that these developments differ from long-standing American political traditions, The New York Times reported. George Washington, conscious that he was setting precedents for the new republic, rejected royal titles such as «Your Majesty» or «Your Highness» in favor of the more modest «Mr. President.» Although the nation’s capital was named after him during his lifetime, historians say Washington did not encourage the decision, and the most prominent monuments honoring him were erected only after his death.
Other presidents have also displayed strong personalities and enjoyed public attention. Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, once remarked that her father «always wanted to be the corpse at every funeral, the bride at every wedding and the baby at every christening.» The comment, however, is often cited as illustrating Roosevelt’s appetite for attention rather than an effort to institutionalize personal reverence, the media outlet reported.
