Standing Athwart Hegel, Yelling ‘Stop!’
A recent article in The Atlantic humorously speculated whether Donald Trump sees himself as a Hegelian 'world-historical figure' akin to Napoleon. The suggestion was met with skepticism and amusement by White House officials, who reportedly dismissed it. The idea has been echoed by other commentators, including John Judis, though no evidence indicates Trump has engaged with Hegel’s philosophy.
- ▪The Atlantic journalists Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer questioned whether Donald Trump has been influenced by the philosophy of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.
- ▪White House officials reportedly dismissed the idea almost laughingly, indicating skepticism about Trump's engagement with Hegelian thought.
- ▪John Judis previously wrote an essay suggesting Trump could be interpreted as a 'world-historical figure' in the Hegelian sense, a concept dating back to Hegel's philosophy of history.
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G-File Standing Athwart Hegel, Yelling ‘Stop!’ The notion that Donald Trump considers himself a Hegelian figure is laughable. Jonah Goldberg / May 1, 2026 Loading Illustration by Noah Hickey/The Dispatch (Photos via Getty Images). Illustration by Noah Hickey/The Dispatch (Photos via Getty Images). Audio Audio Turn any article into a podcast. Upgrade now to start listening. Text Size Members can share articles with friends & family to bypass the paywall. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Threads Email 0 Open and scroll to the comments section You’re reading the G-File, Jonah Goldberg’s biweekly newsletter on politics and culture. To unlock the full version, become a Dispatch member today.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Dispatch.
