ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Art Historian Analyzes Trump's Power Through Digital Image Politics

publication · 2026-03-23

Art historian Wolfgang Ullrich has introduced the concept of 'memocracy' to describe Donald Trump's political strategy during his second presidential term. Ullrich argues that Trump's administration uses digital mockery images as political weapons to undermine reality. This analysis emerges amid ongoing debates among historians, political scientists, and sociologists about how to characterize Trump's government, with discussions considering fascism, classical imperialism, and neoroyalism as possible frameworks. Ullrich's perspective offers an alternative interpretation focused on visual culture's role in contemporary power dynamics.

Key facts

  • Wolfgang Ullrich coined the term 'memocracy'
  • The concept describes Trump's second presidential administration
  • Digital mockery images function as political weapons
  • The analysis challenges frameworks like fascism and imperialism
  • Debates occur among historians and social scientists

Entities

Institutions

  • Monopol Magazin

Sources