TEHRAN - Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election on November 5th represents a clash between two opposing groups.

The first group, while deeply committed to human dignity and principles, avoids lying, follows the law, maintains discipline, is loyal to family, upholds ethics, and adheres to traditional values, believes they live in a world shaped by institutions. Their lives are influenced by these institutions, and they have participated in the power structure as governors, senators, and so on. They consider themselves accountable to the standards set by these institutions, striving for civil virtues as defined by the Constitution. They seek approval from federal and state entities and are somewhat of a supporter or servant to the norms of society’s institutions, such as the Constitution, churches, corporations, media outlets like The New York Times, and so on. Their goal is to fit within the frameworks these institutions define. This group believes that over their lives, they inherit institutions, manage them, and try to pass them on in better conditions to the next generations. While they acknowledge these institutions have flaws and need reform, they fundamentally view them as legitimate.

On the other side, there is a group that overlooks the ethical breaches of someone like Trump, such as lying, cheating, or being immoral, simply because he is opposed to institutions they view as inherently corrupt. For this group, adhering to the norms and structures of these institutions is seen as complicity in corruption. Their view of Trump, and others like him, is that he is doing exactly what they want — fighting against a structure they believe is fundamentally corrupt and unjust. They point to financial institutions causing financial crises, health institutions closing schools during the COVID pandemic, mainstream media and the bureaucracy driving the country toward ruin, and so on. For them, Trump’s moral shortcomings are forgivable because his main objective — being anti-institution — outweighs everything else. The ideal person, in their view, is self-centered, combative, law-breaking, and vengeful.

This person does not fear breaking the rules to achieve personal goals. They disregard institutions and welcome their destruction. They take pleasure in humiliating elites and even intentionally create such situations. In this perspective, if the system labels you as reckless or immoral, you’re probably doing the right thing. If the legal system accuses you, you’re likely a person of virtue. Some even argue that scandals involving Trump represent subversive lawbreaking that is considered virtuous in this context.

This anti-institutional view manifested clearly at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where no former presidents, vice presidents, or even Trump’s vice president from his first term were present — only Trump and his family, standing as symbols of anti-establishment ideals. In this environment, Trump's and his associates' ethical failings are viewed as virtues. Trump and his team are not hypocrites; they are simply being their true selves, shifting the philosophical standards of value.

This anti-institutional mentality is not exclusive to the Republican Party. Over the last four decades, two opposing groups, at the far ends of the political spectrum, have shared a common cause: challenging the established order in America. While the anti-establishment movement first gained momentum in the 1960s on the left side of the Democratic Party, the MAGA movement, which began to form with Reagan’s rise to power, reached its peak with Trump. This movement has proven to be more effective than the left in challenging the system.

U.S. presidents have traditionally viewed themselves as institutionalists, either having served in the military, the CIA, or other government bodies. They saw the presidency as a crucial position in the broader governmental structure, one to manage and pass on to the next leader. In contrast, Trump does not see himself as an institutionalist and has never been part of these systems. Trumpism is pushing for a values revolution in which traditional conservative morals and institutional liberalism are turned on their head.

In this reversal, the rules and norms that once emphasized moderation and respect for institutional authority are now considered vices, while breaking them is seen as virtuous.
Looking ahead, it’s predicted that over the next four years, there will be a continuous battle between the institutional mentality and the anti-institutional mindset within key institutions like the Department of Justice, intelligence agencies, and more. This ongoing conflict will likely bring unrest and chaos, as Trump and his team’s approach to reforming institutions contradicts the very essence of these institutions.