‘Mad’ Donald Trump fact that Australians can’t handle

Many Australians love to hate the US President – but they don’t understand this one, startling fact that could change everything.

OPINION

Australians seem to have a smug superiority about their intelligence – particularly when it comes to Americans.

The attitude of many seems to be that Americans are mad and stupid and we’d never act like them in a more civilised country like ‘Straya.

And that attitude is never more obvious than when you’re talking about Donald Trump.

For some reason, people think we’re above electing a Trump-like figure because we’re not dumb like those Americans who like the orange man.

They must be crazy, haw haw haw, stupid Americans not knowing what they’re doing – that’s usually how these conversations go.

Admitting as an Australian that you have some sympathy for the bloke is like a game of Russian roulette. You never know if you’re going to strike some ignoramus who’s heard little more than “orange man bad” and decided he’s the devil incarnate.

Caleb Bond would have voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris. Picture: Instagram/@calebbond

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I was at a party last year, consisting almost entirely of women, when I was asked if I’d vote for Donald Trump. I said that given the choice between him and Kamala Harris, I most certainly would.

One woman marched off to the host and told her that I was, horror of all horrors … a Trump supporter … and should be ejected.

The host said she’d vote for him too. The shock this poor woman experienced.

But this is not an uncommon experience in Australia.

Poor Kamala … Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP

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A Guardian Essential poll released this week found most Australians think Mr Trump will be bad for the US economy, the global economy, the Australian economy and world peace.

People just don’t understand how you could possibly support him.

What they fail to realise is that’s exactly why he was elected in the first place – twice.

The worst thing you can do with Mr Trump is underestimate him.

The second-worst thing you can do is underestimate his voters.

A supporter of Donald Trump at a MAGA victory rally on January 19, 2025. Picture: Angela Weiss/AFP

Never underestimate his supporters. Picture: Charly Triballeau/AFP

Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016 was over the moment she described Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables”. She insulted not just people who loved him but people who were thinking about voting for him – middle and working class America – and they didn’t take kindly to such condescension.

To dismiss Mr Trump as the idiot’s choice is essentially the same thing – it is to dismiss the concerns of ordinary Americans who have watched their country be run by the same families for decades with diminishing returns.

See, Australians by and large are not overtly political people. There are political tragics like me, but most view politics with cynicism and disinterest.

And that’s fine, as long as you don’t complain about the outcome.

I suspect if you polled people in Sydney’s Pitt St Mall, more would know who Kamala Harris is than NSW Opposition leader Mark Speakman.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman … who? Picture: NewsWire/Nikki Short

Australians by and large are not overtly political people. Picture: Tony Gough

But Americans aren’t like that. They live, eat and breathe politics.

Of course, they have disengaged people – about 40 per cent of people didn’t vote in last year’s presidential election – but those who follow politics are properly into it.

It’s almost like sport. People register with the party they support. They democratically choose the presidential candidates for their respective parties.

And that’s the thing about Mr Trump. On two occasions he has been first chosen by the members of the Republican Party and then the broader people of the United States.

He is not a crazy fringe crackpot – he is a mainstream political figure supported by the majority of American electors.

If you fail to understand how Mr Trump won, you’re part of the reason why he was elected. Picture: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Since he was returned to power, the Democrats have fallen in a hole.

Two different polls out this week – from NBC and CNN – had the Dems at 27 and 29 per cent favourability respectively.

NBC reported that “the Democratic Party has reached an all-time low in popularity”.

Tell me more about how Mr Trump and the American people are off with the pixies.

What many people don’t realise is that Australia isn’t that different.

Support for the two major parties is as low as it has ever been. Anthony Albanese’s Labor government was elected on the lowest ever primary vote for a majority government.

People are turning to minor parties and independents because they’re sick of the status quo – of politicians taking advantage of them.

Americans are no different – and in Donald Trump, they found a leader who didn’t come from a political dynasty and didn’t act like every other politician.

So stop the snobbery.

If you fail to understand how Donald Trump was elected, you’re part of the reason why he was elected.

Originally published as ‘Mad’ Donald Trump fact that Australians can’t handle