Trump may talk tough about China but at the moment he's using the same playbook as they did with their cult of personality over Mao Tse-Tung.
Source: Dean Blundell Substack
There’s a new dress code in Trump’s Washington, and it’s straight out of a dictator’s playbook. Loyalists in the regime—congressmen, senators, the whole parade of sycophants—are now sporting golden Trump bust lapel pins, a garish little tribute to the man who’s turned the White House into a shrine to himself. They’ve been quietly told to ditch their congressional or Senate pins in favor of this new badge of allegiance. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a loyalty test. And if you’re paying attention, it’s a chilling sign of where this country’s headed.
The image making the rounds on X, courtesy of Drew Pavlou, shows the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, the guy who regulates radio, TV, internet, satellite, and cable in the U.S., proudly wearing one of these pins. Pavlou’s caption nails it: “Welcome to MAGA Maoism.” The pin, a golden relief of Trump’s unmistakable profile, sits on a blue suit jacket, a stark contrast to the Mao Zedong badge in the same frame—a red circle with the Chinese leader’s face, a relic of a time when loyalty to the Chairman was non-negotiable. The parallels aren’t subtle, and they’re not accidental.
This isn’t new. History is littered with examples of authoritarian leaders forcing their likeness onto their followers as a symbol of dominance. In Mao’s China, those badges weren’t just accessories—they were a litmus test. You wore Mao’s face, or you were suspect. During the Cultural Revolution, millions pinned them to their chests, a literal mark of devotion to a man who demanded godlike reverence while his policies starved millions.
The Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission that regulates communications by radio, television, internet, satellite and cable in the United States.
Welcome to MAGA Maoism pic.twitter.com/vHNxMjjNF6— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) April 5, 2025
