Donald Trump and Benito Mussolini: Men Who Project Power Through Architecture
If you are keeping up with politics and not the Kardashians as of late, then you probably know that Donald Trump quoted Mussolini (known as IL Duce) on Twitter, SCARY. Trump retweeted Mussolini’s quote from a parody account because he was taunted by Gawker (grow up?), the quote said, “It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep”. I understand the sentiment to attack life with the heart of a lion, but NO - Mussolini was a bad dude.
This isn’t the first time I have encountered the Trump/Mussolini comparison. Just this past December I presented my senior thesis, which focused on Fascist and Nazi architecture, and after my presentation one of the professors from the Art History Department said that Mussolini’s name placed all over his architectural projects reminded him of Trump’s bravado. This comment was funny because it was said by (what I am assuming) was a stereotypical liberal professor in front of my Republican parents. My parents did laugh because they are progressive Republicans and also see the humor in all things Trump-related. I mean it takes a real egomaniac to think that they can be the leader of a country, both sides of the political spectrum. But in this case, these two specific personalities take it to a whole new height, architecturally speaking.
Just like it takes an egomaniac to think they can run a country or expand an empire, it also takes an egomaniac to plan and construct architectural sites dedicated to themselves. To bore you a little, the official title of my thesis was, “The Third Rome and The Third Reich: How Fascist Architecture Constructed Ideologies in Fascist Italian and Hitler Youth”, mouthful, huh? The paper spent a lot of time analyzing another egomaniac, I mean the egomaniac of all egomaniacs, Hitler. But for this article, I will refrain from bringing him into the things, although many people do compare Trump to Hitler. For Hitler, unlike Mussolini and Trump, didn’t project his name all over his architectural projects, he was confident enough that his cult status emanated his presence through the structures themselves. Mussolini and Hitler used architecture as propaganda, and I guess you could say that Trump is able to do so as well.
Now, to analyze the Foro Mussolini in Rome, Italy and Trump Tower in New York, New York:
Constructing giant architectural sites is what you could call a “power move”. History shows that expansive and innovative architecture is a sign of a prosperous society, thus, why political leaders emphasize new construction in the form of buildings though it is truer of the past than the present. One specific architectural site that encompasses all that Mussolini stood for and was aspiring to reach was the Foro Mussolini now called the Foro Italico (for obvious reasons). The emergence of Italy as a world power in the 1920’s meant that Italy and its capital, Rome were looking for a defining political and visual aesthetic to present to the world. Mussolini led a socialist turned Fascist revolution when he marched on Rome on October 28, 1922, a successful attempt to resurrect the former imperial image of Rome and Italy. The Foro Mussolini was a sporting institution dedicated to the Fascist Youth Organization called Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB) located in the northwest part of Rome at the bottom of the Monte Mario Hill. The sports complex was originally comprised of a college of physical education building which also housed an Olympic-sized swimming pool, an Olympic stadium, and a fencing academy, amongst other things. Architecture like this under the Fascist regime was a developed tool of communication, creating a new aesthetic reflecting the regime's ideas through the power of visual cues. With untouched land and a vision, the new architectural sites such as the Foro Mussolini served as a blank slate to project the regime's ideals. The site of the Foro Mussolini presented an allusion to Ancient Roman forums and a place where Fascist leaders could promote athleticism, sport, and militarism, to the youth of their country.
Symbolically speaking, the Foro Mussolini had many references to the structures and grounds that insinuated Mussolini’s omnipresence as the IL Duce.
1. Walk the Walk Bruh: the Piazzale dell’Impero was the major walkway of the site which was lined with mosaic blocks that lead to the Stadio Dei Cipressi (which is now the Stadio Olimpico which was erected for the 1970’s Olympics held in Rome). The mosaics depicted the (short) history of Fascism in Rome. For example, some of the blocks displayed the March on Rome or Italy trying to expand it’s empire into Ethiopia. The only block situated in multiple locations along the walkway is the block that depicts the words “IL Duce” in bold print. It literally just says “IL Duce” over and over in a vertical rows (in case you have short term memory loss). His name stood in place of his physical self, while still holding the same importance.
2. Phallic Symbol For the Win: What is architecture without a monument that looks like an erect penis?(sorry this is what happens when the majority of your art history professors have been women) Mussolini-like many Roman Emperors before him placed an obelisk at the center of his architectural site to… you said it! PROJECT POWER. In case you didn’t know (because obelisks are weird af), obelisks are of ancient origin and signify victory. The victor takes the obelisk of another King/Emperor/Leaders land and then places it back on their home turf. But in Mussolini’s case, he just had his own made for himself with marble from Italy, Carrara, Italy to be specific. The obelisk was inscribed with “Mussolini Dux” and is the only monument in present day Rome that still bears Mussolini’s name.
So how does Trump Tower relate to the Foro Mussolini? Well, let's begin with the fact that both the Foro Mussolini and Trump Tower were narcissistically named after their leader or owner, respectively. I mean if I had enough money to build some large architectural project, I just might name it after myself, but still - an ego driven move. Similar to the name the Trump Tower bears, Trump goes even farther and plasters his name all over the facade of his building (think the “IL Duce” mosaics). It seems that the repetition of a word or name suggests importance and memorability. Trump’s name is even visible in the lobby’s public bathrooms with gold toilets (trust me, I’ve used them). Trump Tower is also a skyscraper, so, therefore, a glorified phallic symbol or a modern, industrial take on obelisks. Oh! and let us not forget that both sites were accused of using unethical methods of acquiring building material and labor practices.
Whereas Mussolini used architecture as propaganda after he became the leader of Italy, Trump started his business and built his brand by starting with architecture (real estate). Both start at different ends but converge at the same point. Mussolini was trying to use the new architectural sites such as the Foro Mussolini to evoke the prosperous past of the Roman Empire and Trump is using his experience in real estate, thus epitomized in Trump Tower, to win American’s vote through big business and to “Make America Great Again” like 1980’s Regan era America. I am a huge supporter of capitalism, private enterprise, and have a mad crush on Ronald Reagan, but I cannot help to think that constantly looking to embody and glorify the past cannot move you forward. Architecture as power can only last so long, just like political leaders, their relevance, innovativeness, and sheen of newness fade fast. So, is Trump the reincarnate of Mussolini? No, but in terms of seeing the significance of architecture as a political advantage, the comparison comes close.
