As I watch this second Trump administration unfold, I can’t help but notice how different the optics are between men and women.
Elon Musk stands in the Oval Office with his four-year-old son on his shoulders. Then the son stands next to the Resolute Desk and tells President Trump to “hush” while his dad is talking. Can you imagine the comments that would surface if a woman had done the same thing with her young child in the Oval Office? Editorials galore would be written about her lack of professionalism.
Vice President Vance brought his whole family to Germany for the Munich Security Conference. Photographers captured several photos of his wife and three children exiting the plane. Not sure why the whole family was on this “business trip.”
Let’s just say Kamala Harris had won the Presidency and decided to attend the Super Bowl. It is estimated that Trump’s little jaunt cost taxpayers between $15 to $20 million, which included Secret Service protection, Air Force One travel at a cost of about $3,000 per minute, a motorcade, stadium security upgrades, local law enforcement overtime and personnel. Had Harris decided to make such a boondoggle, the uproar would have been through the rafters. Oh, and by the way, Trump left at half-time. (I decided not to add up the cost of Trump’s truncated-because-of-rain trip to the Daytona 500 on Sunday which included an Air Force One fly-over and a pace lap around the track in the presidential limo.)
And what if Harris had tried to profit from her election? The Wall Street Journal has estimated that since Trump won this election, he and his family have made more than $80 million. This includes donations to his library, a $10 million settlement with Elon Musk’s X, and millions from “meme coin” cryptocurrency ventures. In addition, the Trump Store launched 168 new products between Election Day and Inauguration Day, some of that money eventually going directly into Trump’s pocket. Such grift is unprecedented. No other president in the history of this country has done anything close, and for whatever reason, no agency seems to be reining in this profiteering.
During his campaign, Trump frequently stated that he wanted to be a “protector of women whether they like it or not.” (Perhaps he would have profited from DEI training.)
When you examine the demographics of voters who voted for Trump, the dynamics are interesting. Trump frequently alluded to the fact that men needed to take back control and assert dominance over their women. So disempowered men voted for Trump so that they would feel more powerful.
Many women who manage the budgets in their households voted for Trump because of the rising cost of groceries, even though many of these same women also voted for protecting a woman’s right to choose.
Project 2025 specifically states its desire to roll back feminist gains and replace them with “conservative Christian family values.” Hence, the J.D. Vance “childless cat ladies” and “helping raise children is the whole purpose of the post-menopausal women” comments. (Tabulations are currently being run on how many pregnant Federal workers were fired last week during the Trump/Musk purge of Federal employees.)
During the campaign, Trump frequently said that Harris would not be able to hold her own against “world leaders.” He claimed they would make mincemeat of her. So, what do we have instead? Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Berlin telling leaders that Ukraine should not expect to reclaim its pre-war borders or become a member of NATO—essentially giving away the store before negotiations begin. And Vice President J.D. Vance scolding European leaders, telling them that they are the real concern—not China or Russia. After his remarks, Vance met with far-right Alternative for Germany Party Leader Alice Weidel.
Trump has awarded several men accused of sexual assault with powerful posts—Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Health and Human Services RFK, Jr. And then, of course, there is his own sordid past. In short, he doesn’t seem to have a problem with men asserting control over women. Couple that with his whole gender ideology stance which makes it much more difficult to uncover inequities in politics, the labor market, and society in general.
So, I guess we’re lucky to have such strong sophisticated talented white men at the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine—men like Trump, Hegseth, and Vance. And we are saved from Harris, as Trump said during the campaign, “They look at her and they say we can’t believe we got so lucky. They’re going to walk all over her.”
Yes indeed, we have master negotiators doing “the art of the deal” who are caving to Vladimir Putin’s demands, and, as Hamilton might say, President Zelensky wasn’t even “in the room where it happened.”
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.
Ron Jordan says
Maria, I agree with you on a number of points. Though, the majority of “white women” voted against their best interests. Voting to keep prices down, that was a lie. Take responsibility for what you all did, not what your men did. Women comprised the largest block of voters in the nation and what happen, instead voting with their sisters of color, all 92 percent of them, you decided it was better to stand off, let this fool become President. All the things you site are correct, the glaring point you leave out is that women didn’t stand up with those sisters you have said in the past were your compatriots. Want to blame anyone, take this as it was you all that let this nation down and now we all will suffer because the biggest block of voters were selfish!
James Dissette says
Ed. Note: I would add that”Using data from the University of Florida Election Lab, a new analysis by the Environmental Voter Project shows that 85.9 million eligible voters skipped the 2024 general election, far surpassing the 76.8 million ballots cast for Donald Trump or the 74.3 million for Kamala Harris.
Maria Grant says
Ron, thanks for your comments. You make some great points. In many ways, women in this country let us down.
Stephanie Harris says
“I can’t help notice how different the optics are between men and women”. This line alone made me want to read what I thought would be a thought provoking article.
Unfortunately, I found it is nothing more than a yawn-inducing tirade about Trump. Congratulations on joining all of the unimaginative late night talk show hosts that when nothing of interest is available, they fall back to poking fun at the POTUS. Boring and SO played out. You had an opportunity to really offer an interesting commentary but instead your words read like something in The National Enquirer. This article was disappointing and I would suggest it is nothing but clickbait. I’ve never had this experience with Chestertown Spy articles and I am sorry to find it now.
Maria Grant says
Ouch. Thanks for writing but I respectfully disagree. The way Trump and his cronies talk about women is problematic to say the least.
Kathy says
Not surprised women are erased/subordinated, biblical patriarchy “gender role theologies” have been strategically marketed in Christian media and publishing, conferences, in sermons, Bible studies through decades by powerful evangelical networks, always with an aim on politics. And here we are. Their theologies are refuted by leading theologians, scholars, historians & millions of Christians
As author Katherine Stewart says, “Outsiders don’t appreciate just how extreme the patriarchy is on the right. I have attended conferences where speakers and participants actively promote a return to male-only voting…; the elimination of…effective forms of birth control…” Kristin DuMez, author of Jesus and John, wrote of the rise of the militant, manly Christianity who believe men are God ordained protectors of women, families and nation. Here we are.
Maria Grant says
Kathy, thanks for your message and for this insightful information.
Deirdre LaMotte says
I will say it again. Women who voted for Trump are self loathing. Men who voted for Trump are devoid of decency.
I would think these fascist would at least have standards.
JUDITH OBERHOLTZER says
Maria, I am saying “AMEN” to your article “The Double Standard”. Thank you!
Maria Grant says
Judith, thanks for your comment. Much appreciated.
Marcie Fritz says
Thank you for your important statements. We need to be informed about what is going on.