Monday November 25, 2024
Continuing this week’s theme of revisiting Donald Trump through the lens of editorial cartoons, I’m struck by the inescapable sense of déjà vu. As we wade deeper into the Trump 2.0 era, it’s unsettling how many motifs from his initial presidency—and even his 2016 transition—are reappearing with eerie precision.
The cartoon that comes to mind today is The Taming of the Donald, published on November 12, 2016. It depicts a freshly minted President-elect Trump standing alongside Justin Trudeau. Despite the stark contrast in their political ideologies, Trudeau’s public embrace of Trump was both practical and emblematic of Canada’s eternal dance with its outsized southern neighbour. Remarkably, when Trump resurfaced earlier this month as a presumptive leader on the global stage, Trudeau extended a similar diplomatic hand, echoing his 2016 overture despite the years of tension and divergence that followed.
Looking back, both figures shared an extraordinary rise to power, with Trudeau securing his victory in Canada’s 2015 federal election and Trump clinching the U.S. presidency a year later. Their respective ascents were defined by soaring popularity and, ironically, memorable hair. Remember those Conservative Party attack ads on Trudeau? “Nice hair, though” became a lasting jab—and a visual parallel that editorial cartoonists couldn’t resist exploiting, even years later, and in the above case, a caricature of Trudeau styled in Trump’s unmistakable mane.
On July 22, 2015, the date of the lead cartoon, months before their respective wins, both leaders were seen as improbable contenders by many. Trudeau’s Liberals were struggling at 25% in the polls behind both the NDP and Conservatives. Across the border, Trump’s campaign faced significant backlash after his infamous comments about John McCain’s military service. Yet, both leaders found ways to defy expectations. Trudeau surged ahead in Canada’s federal election by October, and Trump’s brashness seemed to fortify his momentum, propelling him to the top of national Republican polls by the same time.
Fast forward to 2024, and how the tables have turned. Trump’s support appears more robust than ever, while Trudeau faces what many view as the twilight of his political career. His approval ratings have plummeted, and his once-unassailable position in Canadian politics now feels like a relic of the past. Ironically, Trudeau’s political survival in 2015—when he was widely underestimated—might serve as a faint glimmer of hope for his supporters. But the landscape today feels far less forgiving.
BTW this gag showing Trudeau getting made up to look like Trump, was repeated this year when the big mo was going for Kamala Harris this past Summer.
Even as their trajectories diverge, the uncanny intersections between Trudeau and Trump continue to offer fertile ground for commentary and reflection. In both men, we see leaders who became symbols—whether of hope, disruption, or controversy—and who now find themselves, for better or worse, etched in the political histories of their nations.
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