The Good Fight The Good Fight Club: Trump’s New Ballroom, a Looming Attack on Venezuela, and Why Social Media Explains the Rise of Populism
Oct 25, 2025
Francis Fukuyama, a senior fellow at Stanford and author, joins Mona Charen, a syndicated columnist and policy editor at The Bulwark, to delve into hot topics. They discuss Trump's controversial East Wing demolition and the implications of personalizing power. The conversation shifts to the potential U.S. military actions in Venezuela and the challenges of intervention, emphasizing risks of entanglement. They also explore social media’s role in the rise of populism, linking it to a broader global trend that reshapes politics today.
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Bulldozer As Political Metaphor
- The East Wing demolition functions as a literal metaphor for Trump's personalization of the presidency.
- Mona Charen argues he is erasing traditions to erect monuments to himself.
Personal Memory Of The East Wing
- Mona Charen recounts working in the East Wing for Nancy Reagan and feeling wounded by its demolition.
- She emphasizes tourists entered there and saw Jacqueline Kennedy's garden and a dignified colonnade.
Bypassing Institutional Review
- Francis Fukuyama argues presidents shouldn't unilaterally raise monuments to themselves.
- He notes Trump bypassed review processes and abused executive power with the renovation.