A Gandhian record broken
June 14, 2025
Today is Donald Trump’s birthday, which will be marked nationwide by “No Kings” protests. The 1,000+ locations exclude exclude the nation’s capital, where the president will view the first military parade Washington DC has hosted since 1991.
“No kings,” is a phrase that Gandhi’s assassin might have uttered in 1948. A fellow Hindu and social reformer, he believed the 78-year-old Mahatma’s ability to dictate India’s national policy was too much power for one person to have. A first attack on a prayer meeting was foiled when Gandhi kept everyone calm; the second attempt succeeded. The subcontinent united in shock.
Unlike the founding father of India, Donald Trump survived two assassination attempts when he was 78. Today, he reaches an age Gandhi never achieved. Is it possible he could also take up the Gandhian mantle of nonviolent governance?
A pilgrimage to India
When the president visited India during his first term, huge crowds chanted “Namaste, Trump.” His tour began at Gandhi’s ashram in Ahmedabad, sitting before the spinning wheel Gandhi made a national symbol. It seems unlikely Trump recognized a kindred spirit: Gandhi reintroduced home manufacturing of cloth to disrupt an unfair trade relationship.
This February 2020 visit was, by some metrics, the pinnacle of Trump 45’s presidency. While Democrats anticipated voting the orange man out, his reelection chances looked strong. The American economy was booming, his approval rating was at its peak, and he had a $200 million campaign war chest to fend off whoever the Democrats nominated—maybe Bernie Sanders?
Then, COVID-19 shut down the globe. It seemed briefly possible the pandemic would bring Americans together, but alas, it was an election year, and the fundraising potential of partisan outrage soon ended the truce. Days after the November polls closed, Joe Biden was declared the winner, and the end of Trump’s term really went downhill.
Four years later, and four months into Trump 47’s presidency, there are good reasons to be skeptical of his ability to steer the United States toward the beloved community. Would Gandhi be convinced to give up on Donald Trump?
Reflect on why the second assassination attempt on Gandhi succeeded. The police had asked for permission to search people attending his nightly prayer meetings… but Gandhi absolutely refused. It was essential to his worldview that all humans be presumed worthy of trust. Days later, the killer strolled up to Gandhi and shot him three times.
A military parade
In an ironic twist, the Indian military was the only organization that could make rapid funeral arrangements. The next day, army trucks carried his body to the cremation site past a million people watching for one last glimpse of the Mahatma, or “great soul.”
The crowd for Donald Trump’s military parade today will be far smaller, but Gandhi’s life reminds us that the now 79-year-old still has the potential to be better. Happy birthday, Mr. President.
Was there a time you faced consequences for ignoring logical advice?