Today’s populist leaders worldwide share a distinctive quality that appears to benefit them more than the constituents they claim to serve.
When controversies arise, they simply reinforce their narrative of a conspiratorial “deep state” of elites intent on undermining democracy.
Across the Atlantic this week, politicians appeared to ponder: WWTD — What would Trump do?
In Maine, former Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner attributed the failure of his campaign due to accusations of sexual assault and dating violence, which he disputes, on distant party leaders conspiring against his progressive agenda.
In the UK, Brexit figurehead Nigel Farage resigned from his parliamentary role amidst scrutiny over his personal finances, which he characterized as a scheme by the “establishment.” He intends to address his actions in a special election that has taken an unusual twist, as his main opponent could be a candidate dressed as a trash can.
Meanwhile, in France, far-right leader Marine Le Pen announced her presidential bid for next year while wearing an ankle monitor following the upholding of her conviction in a case concerning the embezzlement of millions of euros in public funds to pay party staff. Reflecting Trump’s sentiments, Le Pen labels the charges as a “chasse aux sorcières,” or witch hunt, by state authorities.
The underlying message from these populists is that their challenges merely validate their assertions: they are initiating such a profound shift in political power that malicious institutional forces will do anything to undermine them. In some situations, claims of misconduct can even enhance a populist’s image as a disruptor of the political status quo.
Harnessing voter frustration
It is not that these populist figures have failed to connect with genuine political emotions during a time of global upheaval.
Trump articulated his most precise understanding of his personal populism during his inaugural address in January 2017, surrounded by key figures from the nation’s political, legal, economic, and national security sectors.
“For too long, a select few in our nation’s capital have benefited from the government while the populace has endured the costs,” he stated. “Washington prospered — yet the citizens did not share in its fortune. Politicians thrived — but jobs vanished, and factories shut down.”
All contemporary populists tap into a deep vein of public dissatisfaction, claiming that globalist influences have fostered a new class of wealthy elites who further skew the playing field. Le Pen, Trump, and Farage on the political right have also harnessed resentment over immigration. This trio has expanded their movements over the years, astutely recognizing the power of disruptive political messages while traditional governments lagged behind.
Democrats are on the lookout for a successor to Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who effectively used populist economic themes in his two unsuccessful presidential bids, which nevertheless energized a dynamic progressive movement. Platner appeared to herald a new wave that might drive an anti-establishment shift on the left, although his prospects seem bleak after withdrawing from the Maine Senate race. He initially gained traction by articulating the frustrations of activists disillusioned with moderate leadership, igniting discussions about the viability of a Trump-like insurgency within the Democratic Party.
The recent populist surge, sparked by Britain’s decision to exit the European Union in 2016 and which diminished following Trump’s loss in 2020, is now gaining momentum again in the U.S. with vocal backing from figures such as Vice President JD Vance. This resurgence is fueled by a widespread sentiment among voters in the U.S., UK, France, and Germany that centrist leaders, who have repeatedly promised change, continually fall short.
However, the tendency of populist leaders to frame their personal political challenges as a narrative of victimization — along with their claims that allegations of misconduct are merely power struggles orchestrated by shadowy elites — raises concerns about how they wield their political movements. Are they genuinely motivated to address their supporters’ widespread feelings of disillusionment? Or are they opportunistically leveraging public frustration with the political system to obscure their own shortcomings and pursue significant personal power?
Trump set the precedent
As Trump illustrated, crafting a narrative of political victimization can energize campaign efforts. In 2024, while confronting multiple criminal and civil accusations — all of which he rebuffed — and following a conviction in a hush-money case, Trump positioned himself as a champion of his supporters’ anger against the establishment. This strategy united the Republican Party behind him and effectively concluded the presidential primary race in his favor, despite initial hesitance from the party base regarding his return to power.
“I am your retribution,” Trump declared at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March 2023.
Platner, who campaigned as a straightforward blue-collar oysterman and Marine Corps veteran, appeared to many progressives as the authentic figure the Democrats lacked to counter their elite urban image. He seemed to be the solution to candidates who relied on the jargon of liberal policy documents while the party struggles to articulate a message that resonates with average Americans.
Similar to Trump, Platner attempted to convert controversies regarding his character into evidence of a broader conspiracy aimed at sabotaging a campaign perceived as a threat to the entrenched power in Washington. Nonetheless, he ultimately lacked Trump’s resilience. He announced his withdrawal from the Senate race following a woman’s claim to USdaily and Politico that he sexually assaulted her while intoxicated nearly five years ago during a casual dating relationship. Platner denies the accusation.
Yet he framed his departure not as a personal accountability moment, but as evidence that he posed too significant a threat to the powerful to prevail. “It’s not the fabricated allegations that have led us here. It’s the fact that they are being utilized by the political establishment to exert systemic pressure on us,” Platner stated in a video announcing his exit. “We exist in a political framework that is not designed for ordinary individuals. It is a system structurally engineered to prevent movements like ours from thriving.”
This perspective, however, is misleading. Platner’s campaign was not a casualty of a shadowy scheme by the political elite and media, even though his opponents likely aimed to leverage opposition research against him. It concluded following two women publicly sharing allegations against him, which he denies.
Farage also refutes all allegations of misconduct. The leader of the Reform UK party is being considered a potential prime minister following the next general election, which is required to occur by August 2029. This would represent a remarkable achievement for an insurgent leader who has cultivated an image as a relatable figure who enjoys a pint at the local pub.
Currently, Farage is facing accusations of failing to disclose millions of pounds’ worth of gifts from affluent benefactors. He denies any wrongdoing amid an ongoing investigation by Parliament’s standards authority.
He aims to persuade voters in his working-class coastal constituency that a conspiracy exists. “This will be a by-election between the people and the establishment,” he stated in a video. Farage described the upcoming vote as an “opportunity to give the establishment the finger, to let them know exactly what we think.” Echoing Trump’s sentiments from 2024, he concluded: “If I succeed, you succeed.”
Like Farage, Le Pen asserts that the French citizens deserve to have the “final decision” regarding her situation. And similar to Trump, she aims to create a narrative linking her own predicament to a populace she claims has been neglected by the government. “Many French people are experiencing difficulties, and we too are facing challenges,” Le Pen remarked during a prime-time interview on TF1. “These trials, I believe, have made us stronger.”
Le Pen, a forerunner in populism, predates Trump and has softened the more extreme aspects of the far-right movement once led by her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen. She is gearing up for her fourth attempt at the presidency, possibly her best chance yet to seize power in France.
Furthermore, as USdaily’s Melissa Bell reported from Paris, Le Pen shares another similarity with Trump: If she wins the upcoming election, any unresolved legal issues could be immediately resolved by presidential immunity.
The forthcoming elections in the UK and France will determine whether Farage and Le Pen can replicate Trump’s political resilience.
In Trump’s first inaugural address in 2017, he accused the “establishment” of safeguarding its interests over those of the citizens.
However, a decade later, the controversies, scandals, and accusations surrounding these new populists present a moment of irony as they approach the brink of power.
They are facing accusations of utilizing their movements not to protect the marginalized or neglected by the political and economic systems, but rather to safeguard their own interests.
