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Radio Atlantic

The 'Great Man' Presidency

Radio Atlantic

The Atlantic

Politics, Society & Culture, News

4.3 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 30 April 2026

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Alexander the Great. Julius Caesar. Napoleon Bonaparte. Donald Trump The Atlantic staff writers Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer reported this week on the president privately comparing himself to the three norm-defying, world-historical figures highlighted in the work of the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.  The president has also sought to make his mark across seemingly every manner of federal real estate, including national monuments and even currency and passports. If Trump’s focus is on himself as a great man of history, what is he doing—and, more notably perhaps, not doing—as president today? Read Ashley and Michael's article: “The YOLO Presidency.” - - - Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Join me, Grant Hill, for a deeper look at what it means to be a thought leader today.

0:05.1

Watch The Drive to Lead, a new series from Range Rover and Atlantic Rethink at theatlantic.com slash drive-to-lead.

0:19.4

One weird thing about last weekend's alleged assassination attempt, and I was present at the event.

0:26.8

It was very weird.

0:28.5

It was how it created a new scale of Washington prestige, a litmus test for status.

0:35.1

Who was important enough to get whist away by men in black and who had to fend for

0:39.9

themselves?

0:41.3

One of the more widely circulated examples was a video of Health and Human Services Secretary

0:46.6

RFK Jr. boxed in by Secret Service agents and rushed out of the room.

0:52.3

While his wife, Cheryl Hines,

0:55.1

who's famous herself,

0:56.4

but not Secret Service-level famous,

0:59.0

stumbles behind him all on her own.

1:03.1

And then there was President Trump's take on events.

1:06.5

Well, thank you very much.

1:08.9

That was very unexpected.

1:11.5

At the White House briefing that evening, still in his talks.

1:14.9

I've studied assassinations.

1:17.5

And I must tell you, the most impactful people, the people that do the most, the people that make the biggest impact, They're the ones that they go after.

1:28.4

They don't go after the ones that don't do much

1:30.4

because they like it that way.

1:33.7

I hate to say, I'm honored by that,

...

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