Donald Trump. Source image: Gage Skidmore / Flickr.
Woke Critic: ‘Trump's Victory signals a Return to Conservative Values'
Wokeism has suffered a sensitive defeat in the US presidential election. French woke critic Atilio Faoro, author of the bestseller La Révolution woke débarque en France, explains how Trump's victory makes all the difference in the fight against the left.
Avenir de la Culture: What does Trump's re-election mean for Catholics and conservatives?
Atilio Faoro: Donald Trump's re-election has not gone unnoticed and I must admit that it has been warmly welcomed by many Catholics and conservatives. How can we explain such a surge of support for a candidate who is open to criticism in so many ways, when so many voices predicted a crushing defeat? Why is there such a revival of conservative values, like a breath of fresh air straight from America? This victory is not just a political event: it reflects a deeper social transformation, an awakening of the people against the forces that tried to transform them.
Although issues such as immigration, inflation and insecurity weighed heavily in the elections that brought Trump to power, the divide between voters appeared to be mainly ideological and cultural, especially with regard to wokeism. On the one hand, progressives choose candidates who espouse woke ideas; on the other, conservatives strongly oppose them. This divide goes beyond economic issues or immediate security, as positions on these cultural issues already seem deeply entrenched and unlikely to convince the undecided, creating a divide that goes far beyond mere practical considerations.
In his book La Nouvelle Guerre de sécession, Guillaume Debré describes Trump as the antithesis of Obama, symbolising a social and economic fear of identity. His electoral programme opposes the multiculturalism, political correctness, positive discrimination and inclusive progressivism of the Democratic Party. In short, a frontal opposition to ‘woke’ America.
ADLC: Can we speak of a rejection of wokism, a reflection of people's real frustration?
AF: What is certain, and I stand by this, is that this victory cannot simply be summarised in terms of classical economic or political issues. No, it marks a much broader movement: a rejection of an ideology that, under the guise of justice and progress, has often divided and stifled public opinion. Hubert Védrine, a man of the left but a keen observer of the international scene, describes it perfectly when he talks about ‘a visceral, popular wave in the broadest sense of the word, of people who want an end to progressivism’. He adds, ‘Can you feel the power behind these words? It is almost as if a collective voice has been raised to say, Enough is enough!’
For many Americans, and also for more and more people in Europe, this ‘woke’ ideology no longer resonates. According to a survey by The Economist , there is a marked decline of this ideology in several areas of US society, especially in the media and in universities. Jean-Eric Branaa, a specialist in American dynamics, confirms that wokism ‘divides rather than unites’. Reading this, one can see how the return to common sense values, far from ideological oppression, represents a real relief for millions of families attached to their traditions and beliefs.
Companies are also becoming aware of this, especially those that have tried to set an example in terms of ‘diversity’ and ‘inclusion’. Disney, a symbol of American culture, is a good example of this. After Disney adopted a policy of inclusivity that many of its customers considered excessive, it has had to adjust its strategy and refocus its content to cater to an audience that likes traditional ‘family’ stories. This turnaround is a sign of the growing fatigue with wokism in the US cultural and commercial sector. According to analysts such as James Carafano, more and more companies are abandoning their DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) policies as they realise that their customers are turning away from their products.
Yascha Mounk, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, agrees. He points out that this election reflects a ‘conservative multi-ethnic coalition’ with African-Americans and Hispanics rallying behind Trump. This shows that this movement is not just that of one class, colour or creed, but of everyone who, like us, is tired of their beliefs being denigrated. In this way, Trump's victory is the expression of a large, popular and diverse coalition tired of the excesses of progressive and woke ideology.
ADLC: Has the woke revolution turned from a racial uprising - under the misleading banner of Black Lives Matter - into a venture to deconstruct Christian society?
AF: Wokism, a frequently mentioned but often misunderstood term, refers to an ideology that began as a neo-Marxist interpretation of racial inequality in the United States, but has evolved into a true cultural revolution that seeks to redefine the fundamental values of Western society. This movement now goes far beyond demanding social justice: it promotes a profound questioning of traditional values, and in particular those values that stem from the Christian heritage, such as respect for human dignity, the role of the family and the view of men and women in a complementary perspective.
A striking example of the woke revolution in France was in the news recently with the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. This event, which was meant to be ‘inclusive’ and symbolic, actually adopted an aesthetic and discourse steeped in woke ideals, even containing blasphemous and deconstructive elements. This global scene illustrated how far this ideology can reach, by changing the meaning of national symbols and values in an attempt to deconstruct the cultural and religious foundations that shaped the West.
ADLC: Are we seeing a reaction from the working class and Catholics?
AF: I think of Christophe Guilluy, who sees this victory as a reaction of self-defence from what he calls ‘the ordinary majority’. Many Trump voters felt excluded and despised by the elites, and this feeling was reinforced by years of multicultural policies favouring ‘visible minorities’ and its flip side, contempt for the native population. Indeed, this ‘ordinary majority’ sees in Trump someone who speaks their language, defends their concerns and does not look down on them. I would not put my hand in the fire to guarantee that he will meet these expectations, but that is how he is perceived by his voters.
The role of Catholics in this victory is undeniable. According to the Washington Post, 56% of them voted for Trump, a significant increase from previous elections. I cannot help feeling that this choice is also a reaction to the contempt for our Christian values. Trump has made it a point to show respect for these values, perhaps for purely electoral reasons, as he does not practise them. At his rallies, he sang religious songs and displayed symbolic images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Last Judgement. Jeanne Smits, a Catholic journalist, said, ‘It is in itself a good sign that this kind of message pays off electorally’. I agree: it shows that the population is really attached to spiritual values and it is a first victory for faith.
ADLC: In your opinion, is there a difference between Trump as a person and the Trumpist movement?
AF: Yes, it is essential to distinguish the figure of Donald Trump, a controversial and unpredictable politician with an oversized ego, from the movement he embodies, often referred to as ‘Trumpism’. Because Trump is a unique personality, his communication style and direct approach have further polarised public opinion. But Trumpism represents a much broader and deeper conservative movement, rooted in a rejection of political class and one-sided thinking, and inspired by the values of common sense and respect for tradition. This movement is not just tied to Trump; it embodies the impulse of a large part of American society trying to rediscover its roots and its voice amid the prevailing ideological confusion.
So even apart from Trump's highly questionable personality, Trumpism continues to flourish and unite, inspiring many Americans to embrace a conservative worldview focused on family, patriotism and faith. This movement transcends its somewhat caricatured nature and is likely to continue long after Donald Trump's second term, influencing a new generation of conservatives ready to fight to preserve their nation's foundations.
Jeanne Smits believes her choice of contributors ‘certainly signals a desire to break free from socialist, statist, authoritarian, wokist and immigrationist policies that 100 per cent explain the Democrats’ defeat.’
ADLC: Are universities and the media returning to common sense?
AF: The evolution of wokism in US universities illustrates the disappointment many citizens feel with institutions that have promoted ultra-progressive ideologies for decades. According to the same The Economist-report, universities are now facing a backlash, even from their own students and professors, who want a return to genuine diversity of opinion. Courses that once focused on ‘whiteness’, ‘gender’, colonialism and the intersectionality of minority claims are losing ground and being replaced by more realistic perspectives. This return to common sense, deployed in education and public opinion, has become a symbol of the need for freedom of expression, long stifled by the practice of cancelling and the excesses of woke ideology.
The media are also being influenced. According to Jean-Eric Branaa, wokism, which used to dominate newsrooms and even influence key editorial decisions, is now being strongly challenged. Faced with declining readership, media outlets are starting to rethink their positions. They understand that their survival depends on their ability to faithfully reflect the opinions and concerns of their audience, rather than limiting themselves to a narrow and deviant progressive view.
According to Christophe Guilluy, this protest, ‘silent but profound, is unlike any social movement of the past: it is motivated by both existential and material motives, making it unstoppable. It rises autonomously, independent of any party, union or leader, to the point where you could say that it is the American working class that Trump is creating, and not the other way around.’
ADLC: Do you think this is an appeal to universal values and a signal for Europe?
AF: This victory has resonated far beyond US borders. We European Catholics see in this triumph a reason for hope. Former minister Hubert Védrine, who has analysed global issues at length, warns his friends on the left: ‘Europeans need to think about this’. He sees this victory as a warning to his fellow travellers: America, which has long embodied progressivism, now seems to be saying ‘stop’ in the name of a majority that refuses to allow its traditional values to be erased.
Jerome Fourquet adds that this reaction could even affect Europe: ‘In France, we find the same mechanisms of contempt and reaction’. ‘The underlying trends are similar: a profound demographic change with the rise of minorities, a decline in the old industrial basins due to international competition, and a major rebalancing of the ratio of men to women. These tectonic shifts are having a profound effect on our societies and will continue to shape the political landscape for years to come.’
When we see the same debates, the same divisions and the same calls for renewed cohesion, we realise that this movement is not limited to the United States. In Europe, we see the beginnings of this movement of contestation in popular reactions to migration policies, gender ideology and the erosion of Christian values. This is also an opportunity for us to unite around the values that unite us and to defend a society that is true to its Christian roots and identity.
ADLC: In conclusion, can we say that this victory goes beyond politics?
AF: In Védrine's words, Trump is much more than a one-off phenomenon: ‘Trump's election is not just about inflation or Mrs Harris. I read it as a revolt. Trump is not an aberration, but a phenomenon of a lasting nature’. Ultimately, Trump's victory is not simply an election victory for a populist leader. It reflects a rebirth of hope for anyone who, like us, is committed to their spiritual beliefs and to the strength of family and community. It is a reminder that the West can still return to the roots of what has long made it great.
May this victory inspire us and give us the courage to defend the traditional principles of our Christian civilisation and, above all, our faith. For, as Yascha Mounk reminds us, ‘America is entering a new era where radical progressivism can finally give way to the values and beliefs of the silent majority.’ What if this new era also began here, for us in France and in Europe? May Our Lord guide us and may this victory remind us that, despite storms, faith and perseverance always prevail.