No American president has ever made his cabinet humiliate themselves by forcing them to go around the table where each member is expected to heap glowing praise on him. The praise requirement has been expanded from when it was just required at cabinet meetings. Now it has become expected at every speech or announcement that his followers have a part in. There have certainly been examples of cabinet members expressing their loyalty to other presidents, but it has never been a choreographed display the way trump requires. There have been other leaders who required public adoration as well as draping massive pictures of themselves on prominent buildings, as trump has recently done.
Kim Jong-un (North Korea)
• Citizens are required to show reverence through songs, poems, and even tears.
• State media portrays him as a near-divine figure, continuing the legacy of his father and grandfather.
Vladimir Putin (Russia)
• While not as overt as North Korea, Putin’s regime tightly controls media narratives.
• Praise is often orchestrated through loyalist media and staged public events.
Mao Zedong (China)
• During the Cultural Revolution, Mao was idolized with mass rallies, Little Red Books, and portraits in every home.
Criticism was equated with treason.
Saddam Hussein (Iraq)
• His image was omnipresent—on currency, buildings, and in daily broadcasts.
• Public praise was not just expected—it was enforced through fear and repression.
Adolf Hitler (Nazi Germany)
• Hitler’s regime used propaganda masterfully to elevate him as Germany’s savior.
• Loyalty and praise were demanded through mass rallies and indoctrination.
Idi Amin (Uganda)
• Self-proclaimed titles like “Conqueror of the British Empire” were part of his bizarre demand for reverence.
• Brutal repression ensured no one dared to mock him.
Trump has expressed respect and even admiration for most in the above list. I’m not sure how Trump’s devout followers fail to see the connection.
