In the U.S., patriotism and heartstring-tugging, flag-waving, chest-thumping performances go hand in hand. The Left, we're told, is wholly unpatriotic. The Right, meanwhile, is said to represent true American values. However, beneath the surface lies a troubling truth—much of what passes for patriotism on the Right is little more than performative posturing, a hollow façade that masks a deeper rot at the core of the U.S.' national identity.
True patriotism, in its purest form, is about more than just waving flags and spouting slogans. It's a commitment to the ideals and principles upon which this nation was founded—ideals like liberty, honesty, and justice for all. It's about recognizing the flaws and imperfections of the U.S. and working to address them, not through blind allegiances, but through thoughtful reflection and meaningful action.
Performative patriotism, on the other hand, is a shallow imitation of the real thing. It's the gun-slinging, God-and-country rhetoric that so often dominates our political discourse. It's the empty gestures and grandstanding displays of loyalty that serve more to divide than to unite, more to inflame than to inspire. In short, performative patriotism is more P.T. Barnum than Pat Buchanan. It's the politicians who drape themselves in the stars and stripes for a campaign ad but are nowhere to be found when it comes time to actually serve their country. It's the corporation that slaps an American flag on its products but outsources jobs overseas to boost profits. It's the social media influencer who posts a patriotic meme but couldn't name the branches of government if their life depended on it.
Nowhere is performative patriotism more starkly evident than in the actions of politicians like George Santos, Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and conservative commentators like Tucker Carlson.
Few figures embody the paradox of performative patriotism quite like Carlson. Once the face of Fox News, the perpetually perplexed-looking pundit has since set up shop on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter.
Carlson's journey from Fox News pundit to independent provocateur is a testament to the shifting sands of conservatism, where loyalty to a set of principles has been supplanted by fealty to a single man: Donald J. Trump. Despite his public image as a staunch defender of American values, Carlson's private messages reveal a man torn between his public persona and his true feelings toward Trump, whom he reportedly detests behind closed doors.
Despite his personal misgivings, Carlson has been all too eager to lavish praise on Trump in public, even as the former president continues to peddle baseless conspiracy theories about the legitimacy of the 2020 election. But perhaps the most egregious example of Carlson's betrayal of true patriotism lies in his recent trip to Russia, where he heaped praise on President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government, despite their well-documented efforts to undermine U.S. democracy. It's a stark reminder that for all his talk of his supposed love of the country and its people, Carlson's true allegiance lies not with America, but with those who seek to sow chaos and division on the world stage. Carlson, a masterful performer, is not alone in his hypocrisy—he's merely the most visible symptom of a deeper rot within the conservative movement. Which brings us back to the aforementioned unholy trinity of George Santos, Lauren Boebert, and Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Santos, the disgraced congressman from New York, has become infamous for his litany of fabrications and falsehoods, from lying about his education to falsely claiming that his mother died in the Sept. 11 attacks. But Santos' deceit goes far beyond mere exaggerations—it's a systematic effort to undermine the very foundations of democracy. Corruption, another string in the fabulist's ever-expanding bow, is inherently unpatriotic because it undermines the principles and values upon which democracy is built. Patriotism entails not just a love and devotion to one's country, but also a commitment to upholding its democratic ideals and ensuring the well-being of its citizens. Corruption directly contradicts these ideals by prioritizing personal gain over the common good and jeopardizing the stability and prosperity of the nation. George Santos is no patriot.
As for Boebert, the gun-toting congresswoman from Colorado has become notorious for her inflammatory rhetoric, ridiculous lies, and penchant for controversy, while Greene, the firebrand congresswoman from Georgia, has made a name for herself by embracing far-right, QAnon-aligned extremism and rather outlandish conspiracy theories. These wacky women appear to spend more time trying to harm the country, to sow even more seeds of division, than actually help it.
These so-called patriots are little more than charlatans, peddling fear, fact-free narratives, and hatred to advance their own agendas. As long as Americans continue to be swayed by the hollow words and insincere gestures of these glorified actors, they will struggle to identify what true patriotism looks like.
John Mac Ghlionn writes about social issues, technology, and the impact of media manipulation. Follow him @ghlionn.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
