Ep. 55: Trump Can't Commit
Howdy FRs,
Thanks for all the comments (that Seena definitely did not read) on our recent show featuring Corinne Fisher. She's one of our faves so we're happy y'all feel the same way. I mean, with whom else can we ponder how Trump's sexual proclivities seep into his foreign policy decisions. Gross, I know, but also hilarious.
If you haven't listened already, please do.
And check out her podcast too: https://www.youtube.com/@withoutacountry
Also, if there's anyone you'd like to see us have on the show, message and tell us! Like you're a parent setting up a playdate, we promise to play nice and not embarrass you 🙃
Seena's Corner
Trump's Cultural Strategy: The Console Wars and the Battle for Young Men's Attention
GameStop recently announced that Halo, the OG Xbox exclusive where players fight aliens as a super-soldier, will now be available on PlayStation, marking the end of the two-decade "console wars." While this might seem like just another nerdy gaming moment, it represents something far more significant (and sinister) about how political power operates in the digital age.
The White House immediately pounced on the memetic moment, posting an image of President Trump dressed as Halo's Master Chief with the caption: "President Trump presides over the end of the 20 year console wars."
It's satirical, it's memetic, and it's deeply strategic.This is the same playbook Trump used with World Wrestling Federation fans in the 1980s and 90s—inserting himself into cultural moments that resonate with disaffected young men. He understands where to find the audiences that will amplify his message, fill his social media with engagement, and ultimately sustain his political power.
The danger lies in how this cultural strategy bypasses political consciousness and enters directly into our political lizard brains that drives us to think pedos are in the basement of a pizza parlor. For young people who didn't grow up in households that actively discussed politics or how power structures work, these memes don't register as political messaging—they're just funny.
And funny is the lube of neo-fascists.
High schoolers and college students scrolling through their feeds see a familiar cultural reference and laugh, not recognizing the underlying mechanism at play.
This matters globally because these games transcend borders. Halo has millions of players worldwide. A post like this is immediately understood across languages and cultures, it's ubiquitous. The funny is universal, and folks (!), that's the muthafuckin' problem!
Grab those young boys you know by the collar, throw against the ropes, clothesline them (intellectually) and give them the People's Elbow of LOGIC, and throw a sticky grenade at them so the critical thinking stays. (I'm sorry for these references, I'm speaking to the young manosphere).
Meanwhile in Ohio: What Travis is Reading ––
Jack Shuler
Last week on TFR we talked about Trump's ongoing military actions against various boats in the Caribbean, which his administration has deemed as efforts against "narco trafficking" –– their justification for this is because the boats are bringing in drugs that are "killing" Americans, but as this excellent article from one of Central Ohio's non-profit media outlets points out, the deadliest drug killing Americans right now is fentanyl, which is primarily brought into the U.S. via points of entry on land by U.S. citizens, thus poking yet another hole in Trump's justification for these military actions
Next Week...
We'll be back at it, talking tariffs, commercials, beef, and soybeans. All the fun stuff!
As Always
Send us a message at Theforeignreportlpn@gmail.com. We want to see Halloween costumes!