Donald Trump
Last week, former US President Donald Trump was serving customers at McDonald’s, and yesterday, he turned into a ‘Garbage man’. All in “honor” of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
However, those who have been following Indian politics for a long feel Trump’s PR strategy is very close to his friend Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2014 winning ‘Chaiwala’ (tea-man)’ campaign that helped him win the high stake election.
Trump enters Wisconsin in a MAGA garbage truck Trump recently staged a political maneuver in Wisconsin by riding into a “big-beautiful” campaign-themed MAGA garbage truck in his motorcade “in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”
During this display, Trump took a jab at Biden, who had called Trump supporters as “garbage.” “How do you like my garbage truck? This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden,” Trump quipped from the passenger seat of the truck, which bore MAGA stickers and the Trump flag. Soon after, Trump’s campaign shared photos of him inside the truck.
On Wednesday, Vivek Ramaswamy was also lensed hooning on the back of a garbage truck in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ramaswamy, who endorsed Trump after exiting the presidential campaign, waved to fellow supporters wearing a yellow reflective vest.
Trump trying to frame himself as the champion of overlooked Americans Trump’s campaign seized on the initial perception, turning it into a narrative of insulted supporters and echoing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s classic stroke of turning opposition barbs into election opportunities.
BJP has often turned political slams into slogans or symbols to strengthen its narrative and appeal to the public. For example, the BJP transformed a jibe by opponents calling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “Chaiwala” (tea-seller) into a campaign motif that immensely resonated with everyday citizens.
By celebrating this perceived insult, Modi’s campaign built a narrative of humility and relatability, reaching a large swath of Indian voters who identified with his modest roots. Similarly, the BJP has also turned criticisms regarding their Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) into a conversation about national security and integrity, driving a huge support pool even amid backlash.
