It was never just about one man.
When Donald J. Trump descended the golden escalator in 2015, branding immigrants “rapists,” sneering at women, and promising to “save” America, he did more than launch a campaign. He detonated a signal flare for every authoritarian across the world: cruelty was no longer a weakness, it was a strategy. Bigotry was no longer shameful, it was marketable. And misogyny was no longer something to deny, it was something to wield.
Trump didn’t simply become president. He became a template—proof that you can mock women as objects, dismiss their testimonies, even boast about assaulting them, and instead of losing power, gain it.
What followed was a global contagion. Far-right leaders across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa copied Trump’s playbook: scapegoating migrants, eroding LGBTQ+ rights, attacking reproductive freedom, and wrapping it all in the language of “family values.” But strip away the slogans and borders, and the outcome is the same everywhere.
Because the endgame of this politics is not just nationalism. It is not just authoritarianism. It is misogyny as law, misogyny as culture, misogyny as the organizing principle of power. Whether you call yourself right-wing, left-wing, or politically neutral, this movement does not see you as a woman with rights. It sees you as a problem to contain, a body to regulate, a voice to silence.
Trump’s Rise: Misogyny as Political Currency
Sexual Misconduct, Jeffrey Epstein, and Electability in Trumpism
Donald Trump entered U.S. politics carrying more baggage than most presidential candidates could survive. More than two dozen women accused him of sexual harassment or sexual assault, including serious allegations of rape. He was later found liable in civil court for sexually abusing writer E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s. Instead of ending his political career, these accusations hardened his base of supporters. Among his followers, every sexual misconduct scandal confirmed his “strength.” That he was too powerful to be challenged by women.
Trump and Jeffrey Epstein: Complicity and Scandal
This normalization of sexual predation was further reinforced by Trump’s long-standing association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump socialized with Epstein for years, attending parties and appearing in photographs with him, and made public jokes about Epstein’s predatory behavior toward younger women. These associations reveal a disturbing complicity in the exploitation and abuse of women.
During Trump’s second presidential term, the Jeffrey Epstein files became a glaring testament to the systemic protection of abusers. Trump had previously publicly shamed President Joe Biden for supposedly failing to release FBI documents that detailed Epstein’s network of sexual exploitation. Yet, once back in power, he deliberately refused to release the same files himself, actively obstructing judicial efforts to make them public. This was not mere political maneuvering—it was a willful act of complicity, using the full force of the presidency to shield predators and silence survivors. It sent a chilling message: in Trump’s America, women’s voices, suffering, and evidence of abuse are expendable, while the powerful are above accountability.
Systemic Misogyny and Electoral Outcomes
The 2024 U.S. presidential elections revealed the depth of systemic misogyny in American politics. Kamala Harris, a reasonably experienced and qualified political leader, represented a rational and capable alternative to Trump. Yet, misogynistic attitudes toward women in power were so entrenched that even her competence could not fully shield her from public backlash. The political landscape demonstrated a harsh reality: women are systematically undervalued and often opposed simply for being female, regardless of experience or expertise.
Trump’s repeated political success despite widespread accusations of sexual misconduct, links to Epstein, and public disdain for women underscores a broader cultural pattern. In this era of Trumpism, misogyny is a central, active force in shaping political loyalty, policy decisions, and public perception. Women’s credibility, autonomy, and safety are continuously undermined, while predatory behavior and complicity are normalized, protected, and often rewarded.
Europe Catches Fire: Trumpism as a Blueprint
Europe had long nurtured far-right currents, but Trump’s election proved that they could seize power. Almost immediately, European leaders imported Trump’s methods:
- Hungary’s Viktor Orbán declared Trump’s win a victory for “real Europe,” tying his authoritarian agenda to patriarchal family policies. Orbán’s government incentivized childbirth while limiting women’s autonomy, framing motherhood as a patriotic duty.
- Germany’s AfD, led by Alice Weidel, borrowed Trump’s slogans (“Make Germany Great Again”) and scapegoated migrants while railing against feminism and LGBTQ+ rights.
- Spain’s Vox Party adopted “Spain First,” campaigning to roll back abortion rights and dismantle protections against gender-based violence, branding them “feminist extremism.”
- The Netherlands’ Geert Wilders echoed Trump by insisting “there are only two genders,” fusing xenophobia with transphobia.
Trump showed that you could be overtly misogynistic and win. Europe’s far-right took note, and began reshaping women’s lives accordingly.
The Weaponization of “Family Values”
At the heart of this global far-right movement lies the rhetoric of “family values.” On the surface, it sounds moral or comforting. In reality, it is a blueprint for subordination.
- Childless women are vilified as selfish, broken, or unnatural.
- Abortion and reproductive rights are dismantled, placing women’s bodies under state control.
- Women in the workforce are undermined, as governments glorify domesticity while quietly curtailing labor rights and childcare support.
Whether it’s Trump in the U.S., Orbán in Hungary, or Vox in Spain, the message is the same: a woman’s value is measured by her reproductive role. For queer women, immigrant women, or women of color, this “family values” agenda doubles as exclusion: you are not just a woman, you are the wrong kind of woman.
The Global Ripple: Misogyny Without Borders
Trump’s influence spread far beyond Europe:
- Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro bragged about refusing to rape women because they were “too ugly,” while slashing protections against gender violence.
- Argentina’s Javier Milei styled himself as a Trump ally, attacking feminism as “cultural Marxism.”
- Canada’s Conservative factions echoed “Canada First,” emboldening hate crimes and rolling back gender equity measures.
- India’s Narendra Modi adopted “Make India Great Again” rhetoric while cracking down on women’s freedoms and dissent.
- Russia’s Vladimir Putin combined nationalism with patriarchal crackdowns on reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights.
Social media acted as Trumpism’s bloodstream, pumping misogyny and authoritarianism across continents. Outrage, lies, and sexism became political commodities, traded globally.
The Trap for Women: No Safe Side
The harsh reality is this: Trumpism and the global far-right are not just conservative movements—they are anti-woman movements at their very core. Their ideology is built on fear, control, and the systematic subjugation of women. Whether you identify as conservative, progressive, or apolitical, these movements see you the same way: as lesser, as disposable, as someone whose rights can be violated with impunity.
For conservative women, the far-right’s so-called “family values” agenda is a trap. Autonomy over your own body, your career, or your life choices is framed as dangerous, selfish, or immoral. You are pressured to conform, silenced if you resist, and punished if you assert independence.
For liberal and progressive women, the threat is just as real, though dressed in rhetoric of morality or political correctness. You are demonized as a “feminist extremist,” a “radical,” or part of the so-called “woke agenda.” Your campaigns for gender equality, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ protections are attacked relentlessly, often with vitriol, harassment, and coordinated smear campaigns.
Even apolitical women are not spared. In the far-right’s worldview, women’s bodies are not their own. They are property, either of the state or of men. Your voice is ignored, your pain erased, your agency denied.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, Trumpism and the global far-right offer no protection, no understanding, no allyship. Women are not participants in these movements—they are targets. From the United States to Europe, Latin America to Asia, these ideologies converge on one principle: women must be controlled, silenced, and marginalized.
This is not just politics; it is a global assault on women’s rights, autonomy, and safety, and it thrives on fear, misogyny, and systemic oppression.
Misogyny with a Passport
Trump’s rise turned misogyny into a global export. He showed leaders that you could brag about assault, insult women, and erase their autonomy not only without losing power, but by gaining it.
Now, from Washington to Warsaw, Brasília to Budapest, New Delhi to Moscow, women and marginalized communities face the consequences: rolled-back rights, normalized harassment, and governments that define freedom as male dominance.
Trumpism is not just American. It is global. And unless women recognize it for what it is—a war against their existence—it will continue to grow unchecked.
Because at the end of the day, whether you are right-wing, left-wing, or somewhere in between, Trumpism and its imitators do not see you as equal. They see you as disposable.
And that is why the only answer is resistance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Trumpism and how does it relate to misogyny?
A: Trumpism refers to the political ideology and style associated with Donald J. Trump, characterized by authoritarianism, nationalism, and populism. At its core, Trumpism embraces misogyny—mocking women, dismissing their voices, and rewarding predatory behavior. It positions women as disposable and undermines gender equality, turning sexual misconduct and sexism into political currency.
Q: How did Trump influence far-right movements globally?
A: Trump’s 2016 election acted as a blueprint for global far-right leaders. Politicians across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa have mirrored his playbook: scapegoating migrants, attacking reproductive rights, and promoting patriarchal “family values.” Leaders such as Viktor Orbán, Jair Bolsonaro, Geert Wilders, and Narendra Modi have openly adopted Trump-style rhetoric, normalizing misogyny and authoritarianism worldwide.
Q: Why is the rhetoric of “family values” harmful to women?
A: The far-right’s “family values” agenda is a tool of control. It vilifies childless women, undermines reproductive freedom, and limits women’s participation in the workforce. For marginalized women—including queer women, immigrant women, and women of color—this agenda doubles as exclusion. Women’s rights, autonomy, and safety are directly threatened under policies justified as moral or patriotic.
Q: How did Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein affect women’s rights?
A: Trump’s long-standing relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein normalized sexual predation. By obstructing the release of Epstein files and mocking survivors, Trump sent a signal that women’s voices and safety were expendable. This systemic misogyny reinforced global far-right trends, emboldening other leaders to protect abusers and undermine accountability for gender-based violence.
Q: Does Trumpism affect women outside the United States?
A: Yes. Trumpism is a global phenomenon. European far-right parties like Germany’s AfD, Spain’s Vox, and the Netherlands’ Party for Freedom adopted Trump’s misogynistic tactics. In Latin America, Jair Bolsonaro and Javier Milei targeted women’s rights. In Asia, Narendra Modi imposed patriarchal controls, while Russia’s Vladimir Putin restricted reproductive and LGBTQ+ freedoms. Women worldwide are directly affected by these misogyny-driven political agendas.
Q: Are conservative women safe under far-right movements?
A: No. Far-right politics frame female autonomy as dangerous or immoral. Women who defy traditional roles face social, legal, and political punishment. Even women who outwardly support the far-right are pressured to conform to rigid gender roles, highlighting that Trumpism and global far-right ideology are inherently anti-woman.
Q: What can women do to resist Trumpism and the global far-right?
A: Awareness and organized resistance are crucial. Recognizing that these movements target women universally, advocating for reproductive rights, workplace equality, and protection against harassment, and building global solidarity are essential. Resistance is not just political—it is a defense of women’s autonomy, safety, and equality worldwide.
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