Donald Trump announced his presidential campaign in June of this year. Since then, he has managed to appear in the headlines almost every day for the past six months by unleashing a torrent of controversial speeches and twitter hashtags on the country.
Who could forget the time when Donald Trump claimed that Mexico was intentionally sending rapists into the United States? Or the time when he insisted that John McCain was not a hero because he was a prisoner of war? Or how about that time last week, when Trump declared that the US should close all of its mosques and prevent any more Muslims from entering the country?
While these comments may seem haphazard, ridiculous or even slightly offensive, it’s clear that Trump is doing something right; since his campaign announcement, he has consistently placed at the top of almost every poll.
Some people love him and some people hate him, but deep down, Donald Trump is just another person with his own set of thoughts, feelings and motivations. Regardless of our personal feelings toward him, it’s important to understand where he’s coming from and why he’s doing what he does.
Below, I’ll discuss the six most plausible motivations for his campaign, in order of least to most despicable.
1. He’s a mole for the Democratic Party
He went to Bill and Hilary’s wedding. He used to support abortion. He’s actively ruining the credibility of the entire Republican party. What better explanation for all of this than a massive liberal conspiracy?
It makes a lot of sense in theory. Get Trump to use his wealth and fame to run a successful Republican campaign, and then have him drop out and run as an independent in the general election. He would steal millions of votes from the actual Republican nominee, thus guaranteeing the Democrats a victory.
2. He’s just trying to extend his fame
Let’s face it: Donald Trump is getting kind of old. For celebrities of his stature, the idea of growing old and fading from the spotlight can seem heartbreaking and scary. What better way to stay relevant than to run for president? Clearly it’s been working so far.
3. He genuinely believes all of the things that he’s saying
Plenty of other people do, so why not Trump? Unfortunately, we’re only on number three and he already sounds pretty evil. Well, at least, it can’t get much worse from here. Unless...
4. He’s manipulating the system by appealing to uneducated people
Huh, well I guess that’s pretty bad too. One thing is for sure, though: when Trump announced his campaign, a lot of people who weren't into politics started following them. And who can blame them? He’s an interesting guy.
Unfortunately, the best way to stand out in the Republican primary is to be as offensively racist as possible. It's very likely that Trump is merely trying to capitalize on this fact. But hey, every politician has to appeal to their voter base, right? But what if...
5. He’s trying to lead the US into another war
By igniting sentiments of racism and Islamophobia, Trump may be trying to get the people to support another war in the Middle East. This would make Trump’s tough-guy attitude seem even more appealing to voters AND further enrich America’s huge military-industrial complex. It’s a win-win!
Okay, so this might be getting pretty deep into conspiracy theory territory. What could be worse than a corrupt corporate warmonger who trades human life for profit? The only way he could top this is if...
6. He is actively trying to destroy the world
Well, nothing is out of the question at this point. Even without being president, Trump has managed to destabilize America’s relations with other countries and divide the populace at home. Plus, if he continues to inspire hatred and violence toward Muslim-Americans, ISIS recruitment will soon be at an all-time high!
