Donald trump Quote by Masha Gessen
“Putin has built a mobilisation society, his sky high popularity numbers, which Donald Trump so envies, are fully dependent on being able to mobilise the population against an enemy and that imagined enemy is the United States.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Future Is History by Masha Gessen, 2017
The quote argues that Putin’s popularity stems from his ability to rally citizens against a perceived external threat, specifically the United States, which fuels his political power.
In simple terms: Putin’s support relies on framing the US as an enemy.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how leaders use external threats to unite people.
Themes
political manipulation
nationalism
leadership
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
observational
When to use this quote
- elections
- public speeches
- media campaigns
- foreign policy debates
Key Concepts
populism
enemy construction
propaganda
Questions to Reflect On
- How do external threats shape national unity?
- What are the risks of rallying against an imagined enemy?
A Different Perspective
It may oversimplify complex domestic factors and ignore genuine public sentiment.
![“[following the Kursk disaster].. "Putin appeared on CNN's Larry King Live. When King asked "What happened?", Putin shrugged, smiled - impishly, it seemed - and said "It sank".” quote by Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/287/masha-gessen-2322_putin_following-the-kursk-disaster-putin-appea_545976.jpg)
![“Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This [presidential] election is about every man, woman and child in our country who deserves to live in safety, prosperity and peace, so true.” quote by Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/18e/donald-trump-18_children_vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-se_1553.jpg)
![“Donald Trump has opened [ politically correct enforcement] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little bit when he said it is temporary.” quote by Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/572/ted-cruz-487_bits_donald-trump-has-opened-politically-corr_6712.jpg)
![“If [Donald] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very hard to handle it right, then that's a - a huge advantage in the mid-terms for us.” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f4d/van-jones-984_advantage_if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of_12893.jpg)