It’s no secret that politicians often display a certain level of shamelessness—it’s essentially part of the job. They’re constantly trying to adjust to the shifting political climate, which means justifying their frequent changes in stance. It could be due to changing public sentiment, party loyalty, or even the influence of big donors.
Interestingly, issues that were criticized during the Biden administration seem to be perfectly acceptable now. Whatever the case, it’s pretty obvious when they offer explanations that don’t hold water. They have to maintain a straight face while talking about things that most people recognize as nonsense. For instance, while they can’t honestly state, “Donald Trump is trying to ensure I’m out of the picture,” they usually opt for rather transparent excuses instead.
Some might argue that this is how politics operates; it requires a certain degree of flexibility. For example, in one of my chats with Trump last year, he tried to justify his abrupt shift on TikTok. Previously, he had positioned himself against this Chinese-owned app due to national security concerns, only to later work on ways to save it, even as Congress maintained a ban.
Trump claimed that this change of heart was to benefit Facebook. Honestly, I found that hard to swallow. It seemed more like he wanted to appeal to younger voters who favor TikTok. And of course, this shift corresponded with financial backing from Mark Zuckerberg.
It appears that Trump, in a sense, embodies the highest degree of shamelessness, which might be a part of his success. He doesn’t seem to be bothered about contradicting himself—even within short periods. He might express sympathy for Biden while simultaneously calling it Biden’s war, especially when discussing rhetoric surrounding the Ukraine conflict.
As Ross Douthat points out in a recent piece, this willingness to contradict himself is what keeps him relevant. It raises the question: do his supporters trust him to go pretty far, but manage not to cross certain boundaries?
Take, for instance, John Kelly and his fluctuating positions on military funding in past elections—often labeled as a flip-flop. It’s relevant to consider how narratives change, especially amid media backlash, like when Trump pardoned a notorious Chicago gangster. Was that mainly symbolic? Sure, but it still raises ethical questions.
If Biden were to do something similar, it would have likely faced extreme scrutiny. After all, how could he align himself with a murderer? The other person involved didn’t get another chance at life.
Meanwhile, regarding Biden’s own controversies, he hasn’t exactly been clean, especially surrounding his promises on Hunter Biden’s issues, which he didn’t uphold after the election.
Not too long ago, Trump got irritated when a CNBC reporter probed him about a nickname related to tacos, describing it as a “nasty” question. But beyond that, he’s known to hold off on imposing harsh tariffs, negotiating quickly, and declaring victory—all because, generally, the market reacts positively. Yet there’s a larger volatility driving the global economy.
As Trump’s position in polls fluctuates, he sometimes attributes improvements to other presidents while still crediting himself for certain recoveries. This back-and-forth is what many voters appear to expect from him, as it reflects a dynamic interaction where he can both accept feedback and adjust accordingly.
All of this suggests he’s gaining momentum, particularly because the Democrats lack a strong national figurehead. While some names are mentioned, they haven’t made a significant impact. Meanwhile, Trump’s political prowess and lack of fear regarding shamelessness help him stand out.
