Thomas Friedman says his Chinese friends see an analogy between Trump and Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Does the analogy hold water?
Yes, because both movements were driven by the man at the top, and in each case, the target was the political and intellectual establishment. But there are differences, too. Mao was relying primarily on non-state actors (the Red Guards) and physical violence to get his way; Trump is using the federal government itself and threats of aid cutoffs to assert his dominance.
The biggest difference is that Mao didn’t have to worry about resistance from the judicial system. Whether that will matter in America in the long run remains to be seen.