Trump’s Flock

By Rob C.

Art by Paul Noth - edited

TL;DR: The sheep spend their lives fearing the wolf, but it’s the shepherd—disguised as a “man of the people” billionaire—who’s leading them to slaughter.

“The sheep spend their whole life fearing the wolf, but in the end, it’s the shepherd that butchers them.”

For years, Trump’s followers have been terrified of the “wolf” — the progressive left, the immigrants, the “woke mob,” or books. They’ve been told that these are the enemies of America, creeping over the hill to destroy their way of life. But while they’ve been watching the tree line for wolves, the shepherd — a spray-tanned con man in a red tie and golf cleats — has been sharpening his knife.

He’s learned the oldest trick in the book: if you can convince the sheep to fear the wolf, they’ll follow you straight to the slaughterhouse.

The Gospel According to the Grifter

Trump’s genius (and it pains me to use that word) isn’t in policy, or intellect, or even basic economics. It’s in manipulation. He’s turned fear into a religion, preaching to his flock about how “they”— are coming for your jobs, your freedom, your hamburgers.

Meanwhile, his billionaire backers are quietly carving up what’s left of the country like a prime rib roast. The CEOs, hedge fund managers, and private equity “shepherds” have convinced the working class that the real threat is some underpaid barista with student debt and pronouns. It’s a magic trick so good it deserves its own Vegas residency.

And his disciples? They cheer as their health care is gutted, their unions are dismantled, and their schools are defunded. They cheer their Orange Messiah as their small towns decay and their jobs are shipped overseas — all while believing it’s the “deep state” or the “woke mob” that did them in.

The Authoritarian Playbook

Stephen Miller, Trump’s personal fascist, took the playbook right out of 1930s Europe: pick a scapegoat, demonize the powerless, and flood the zone with hate. ICE became his brown shirts, rounding up terrified families while Fox News gaslights.

All of this — every policy, every speech, every dehumanizing tweet — was designed to make Americans fear the government programs that would actually help them. Health care? “Socialism.” Food assistance? “Handouts.” Environmental protection? “Regulation.”

And while you’re too busy hating your neighbor, the billionaires have privatized your utilities, bought your farmland, and turned your country into a gated community for the ultra-rich. The MAGA movement was never about freedom. It was about making sure you stay distracted while they take everything that isn’t nailed down.

Media, Money, and Manufactured Consent

Once upon a time, we had journalists who exposed lies. Now, we have networks that manufacture them. The so-called “objective” media, terrified of being labeled biased, treats fascism as just another political flavor — “authoritarianism: the other white meat.”

The billionaires who own those networks know exactly what they’re doing. They feed the outrage machine because outrage is profitable. As long as you’re angry, you’re not asking questions about why your rent doubled or your water smells like bleach.

And Trump? He laps it up, crowing about “fake news” while using those same headlines to keep his cult in line. Fear is the product. Division is the brand.

The Slaughterhouse Awaits

In the end, Trump’s flock doesn’t need wolves to destroy them. They’re already following the shepherd to the slaughterhouse and thanking him for the privilege.

They’ll go on chanting, “He’s fighting for us!” as he signs away their future. They’ll keep looking for wolves in the shadows, never realizing that the real predator is smiling right beside them, holding the knife and promising greatness.

When the last field is empty and the last barn is burned, they’ll wonder what happened to the America they thought they were defending.

Remember: you can’t save the farm when you’ve put the butcher in charge of dinner.

Robert Cain is the author of Democracy for Sale: How Corporate Greed Is Corrupting Democracy and Endangering the Planet.