One of the reasons that the footage of US President Donald Trump’s clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was so compelling to Western audiences was the sheer unfamiliarity of such a scene.
Leaders routinely have arguments behind closed doors, but this one was very deliberately broadcast. The host not only inflamed US Vice President J.D. Vance’s provocations of the Ukrainian leader, but he made sure to keep the media in the room for the full 50-minute drama. As Trump said in the closing line: “This is going to be great television.”
But to Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, and anyone else familiar with Marxist-Leninist political management, it was instantly recognisable. This was a “struggle session”. That is, an orchestrated ritual humiliation of a political enemy, conducted in public, often with crowd participation. A common feature is that the target is denounced by people they thought were close to them.
The struggle session had its origins in the writings of Soviet leader Josef Stalin on the subject of criticism and self-criticism. It was later embraced by China’s Mao Zedong against suspected “class enemies”.
publicolamarcellus on March 3rd, 2025 at 21:21 UTC »
Trump is not just appeasing Putin—he is actively advancing Russia’s interests at the expense of U.S. allies. From gutting support for Ukraine to halting cyber operations against Russia to offering sanctions relief, every move benefits Moscow while weakening America’s global standing. This is not bluster or ignorance—it is deliberate.
For years, people warned that Trump was compromised, and now he is proving it in real time. Allies should not wait for the U.S. to come to its senses—this is the time to prepare for a world where America no longer defends democracy.
donkeybrisket on March 3rd, 2025 at 21:13 UTC »
Anyone denying it now is complicit
supercatpuke on March 3rd, 2025 at 21:12 UTC »
Americans should be alarmed.