US-Wahlen: Ein Präsident auf Augenhöhe – warum seine Anhänger trotz aller Fehler zu Donald Trump halten

In Florida, during October's end, the scene resembled Woodstock from the 1960s. People of all ages, backgrounds, and interests gathered to witness the phenomenon, united not just as supporters of the US President, but as devout warriors of a religion called Trumpism. Lines snaked endlessly, enduring sweltering heat and occasional medical assistance for elderly attendees fainting from the tropical temperatures. Despite the hardships, the patience of the crowd seemed boundless.

Each individual treated their fellow attendees with courtesy, occasionally sharing jokes. Anti-Trump demonstrations along the pilgrimage path occasionally provoked loud reactions from the supporters, yet remained peaceful. The anti-Trump demonstrators seemed at least twice as passionate as the MAGA faithful. Those who endured this ordeal marveled at the moment when Donald Trump finally entered the hall, only to be greeted by thunderous applause, standing ovations, and rhythmic "USA" cheers before even uttering a single word.

He lounged on the podium like at a bar, followed by a half-hour-long speech which he had delivered hundreds of times before. He played with the audience, sometimes whispering, and masterfully inserted rhetorical pauses. However, his content was outrageous, especially for those familiar with Europe. Superlatives piled up in short phrases, self-congratulatory and condemning their political opponents, often inappropriately.

The press was ridiculed, with no restraint or argumentation, but presented freely. The speech oscillated between half-truths and blatant falsehoods. Whether anyone noticed or not was irrelevant, as Trump created his own reality, the one the audience yearned to hear.

He proclaimed the end of Iran, the imminent resolution of the Ukraine war, and how he had "freed eight wars," despite garnering no Nobel Prize, which he deserved more than any previous laureate. Humor followed, with fabricated claims such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" and renaming Ontario's Lake to "Lake America."

Trump even suggested renaming New Mexico to "New America" and the Atlantic Ocean to "American Ocean." He insisted that Joe Biden had handed America into a dark age, and that he would restore the country's golden era in just two years. The MAGA base, although diverse in its motives, remained fervently supportive. Even Gavin Pascale, a 19-year-old rally attendee, wore a wig resembling Trump's hair and praised the President, despite disliking his Iran war.

Another older gentleman, leaning towards the traditional Republican camp, expressed his desire for "no 'democratic socialism' as propagated in New York, and not being told how to live our lives by Washington."