Kristina Becvar is the Chief Operating Officer of the Bridge Alliance.
“It’s not a democracy.”
The above provocative statement was the first comment made on a social media post Monday sharing this week’s Fulcrum post on Juneteenth and the intersection of art, politics, and American identity. The comment accomplished exactly what it was intended to do - completely ignoring the content of the article, a nuanced discussion of how art and politics reflect each other, and instead making a declarative statement that is divisive enough to make people think twice about engaging and effectively preventing conversation. That’s the power of the words we choose to use when discussing American politics, and social media has been an incubator for people to learn how to employ the red herring tactic of diverting attention from the real issue by focusing instead on a subject that has only a vague relevance, if any relevance at all, to the real issue. This technique allows the perpetrator to feel as if they “won” something in a discussion without having to get curious or engage in thoughtful deliberation.
Is the United States a democracy? Absolutely. Is it also a republic? Yes to that too. Our society is being conditioned to view those complementary concepts as opposing forces, the false dichotomy fueling tribalism and diverting attention from critical issues. Debating word choice in this manner is a tactic being spread by anti-democratic folks to shore up opposition to voting rights, voter access reforms, casting a shadow on movements that aim to strengthen democracy. Recognizing that a republic is a representative democracy, we must not let word choice distract us from the fundamental question: Does America truly function as a healthy representative democracy? A candid assessment reveals that there is work to be done. So how do we move past the playbook of using divisive words and tactics to derail discussions on how to make America live up to the best version of ourselves?
To navigate these challenges, we can draw inspiration from successful strategies implemented by democracies worldwide. The Election Reformers Network and the Alliance for Securing Democracy have recently released a report showcasing innovative approaches that can combat polarization and mistrust within democratic systems. By embracing these innovative ideas and adapting them to our unique context, we can forge a more inclusive and participatory society.
One of the pillars of work among many Bridge Alliance members is that of finding unity within divided communities, and we recognize that unity is often best achieved through local, community-based connections. Recognizing the significance of civic literacy, we acknowledge that quality discourse and informed citizens are essential for countering simplistic talking points and inflammatory rhetoric. By equipping ourselves with civic knowledge, we can strengthen the very foundations of our country. Our collective efforts can help us move beyond being pulled into the linguistic trenches and toward creating a future where America lives up to its fullest potential.
So, let us remain engaged and curious as we strive towards a stronger republic. By fostering unity, embracing innovation, and pursuing civic knowledge, we can build a more robust democracy that reflects the ideals upon which our nation was founded.
A golden tray sits on the Resolute Desk as President Donald Trump speaks during an announcement on American nuclear innovation in the Oval Office at the White House on July 24, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Trump is signing multiple executive orders targeting the nuclear energy sector and easing rules for new reactors and nuclear fuel supply chains.
Trump’s hubris rivals the fallen heroes of ancient Greek mythology
In January, the New York Times asked President Donald Trump if there were any limits on his global powers.
“Yeah,” the president responded, “there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.”
That was eight months ago, but fortunately Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster adaptation of “The Odyssey” has made ancient Greek literature newly relevant. Before that window closes, I’d like to talk about hubris.
Today, the term mostly means excessive pride or arrogance. That’s part of what the Greeks meant by it too, but the meaning was a bit richer and more specific. Hubris was an insolent or outrageous act that offended the gods, often because the transgressor was claiming abilities or authorities that solely belonged to supreme beings.
Nolan renamed and slightly modified the concept of xenia for the film, calling it “Zeus’ law.” In the director’s telling, mortals should follow the rules laid out by the gods, specifically the requirement to treat strangers with respect lest they be gods in disguise.
In a sense, hubris is the opposite, or at least the rejection, of xenia. The hubris of the suitors, and at times Odysseus himself, invites punishment by the gods and their mortal instruments.
Which brings me back to Donald Trump. His claim that there are no constraints on his personal power to dictate events on the global stage was one of the greatest expressions of hubris ever uttered by a political leader.
Trump’s claim was obviously false when he made it.
He vowed that he could end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours. He’s proved powerless to make that happen. If he had divine powers to work his will, why would he have balked at implementing his tariffs so often that Wall Street adopted the “TACO trade” term for his deals? “TACO” stands for “Trump always chickens out.”
And why would Trump have made so many embarrassing concessions to China — from rescinding tariffs on Chinese goods to allowing them to buy crucial and incredibly valuable computer chips?
But Trump saw his success at capturing Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro as proof of his ability to launch missiles to the same effect as Zeus’ lightning bolts. Trump believed he was the most powerful man who ever lived.
This is no exaggeration. In March, when the Iran invasion seemed successful, Trump gave a document penned by“Presidential Historian David King” to New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan purporting to prove that Trump was “the most powerful person to have EVER walked this planet.” King was, in fact, a businessman and occasional caddy for legendary golfer Gary Player.
King compared Trump favorably to many of history’s most powerful, and often heinous, figures: Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, William the Conqueror, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Stalin, Genghis Khan, Mao Tse Tung, Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin. Many of these men thought they were the most powerful person in the world, too. And many were defeated precisely because they believed it.
At least Napoleon and Hitler had a string of truly impressive victories before they learned the folly of hubris. The limits on Trump’s power have been exposed by far less august forces than the combined might of the allies in World War II or the fearsome Russian winter.
Iran is a comparatively middling power. But the regime’s ability to absorb punishment while imposing its will on the Strait of Hormuz has proved to be a greater constraint on Trump’s power than his morality or mind. We should note that, at least rhetorically, his morality has not proved much of a constraint. He has repeatedly promised to destroy Iranian “civilization” if the regime refuses to capitulate.
But they haven’t — and won’t anytime soon — because the regime’s tolerance for pain far outstrips Trump’s. The combined fear of skyrocketing oil prices, outrage of Gulf state potentates, diminishing weapon supplies and domestic unpopularity is doing the work that international law, congressional oversight and the collective opinion of foreign policy experts can’t or won’t do.
If I considered Trump more heroic than reason and facts could allow, I would say his Sisyphean predicament has the whiff of Greek tragedy to it. Trump is vexed by the fact that the Iranians won’t honor deals or ratify his countless premature claims of victory — giving new meaning to his vow that his presidency would make people tired of winning. It’s almost like they’re out-Trumping Trump.
Things might have gone better if he’d heeded that great Greek tragedian Sophocles: “For Zeus utterly abhors the boasts of a proud tongue.”
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Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. His Twitter handle is @JonahDispatch.