When Weakness Is Forbidden

From Donald Trump to Mitch McConnell, the Republican impulse to project strength often comes at the expense of national security and international reputation.

The modern Republican Party, particularly under the influence of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, has cultivated a political culture that prizes strength, confidence, and dominance. Within that framework, projecting vulnerability—whether political, personal, or physical—is often viewed as a threat to authority rather than an unavoidable part of aging or le…