ABSTRACT
Framing Donald J. Trump as abnormal, and monstrous (Hitler-like), obscures the way Trump is normative, particularly in his racism, sexism, homophobia, islamophobia, and xenophobia, and elides an examination of his authentic-seeming presentation of self, which is key in understanding Trump's popularity. While critical scholarship often seeks to unravel how things are normalized, this chapter shifts that approach by looking at how Trump is made abnormal, and subsequently, how racism, misogyny, and whiteness are normalized. The notion of performing-not-performing moves away from essentialist and naturalized ideas about authenticity, emphasizing all behavior as performance and bringing to light the parameters for authentic-seeming behavior. Trump's monstrosity works to affirm his authenticity through his inability to play by the rules, and his seeming relentless urge to always be himself regardless of the demands of a specific context or role. Trump's behavior makes him indigestible into the space of the presidency, incoherent, but his whiteness, wealth, and status enable him to take this space hostage.
