Nigeria, Aug. 1 -- Donald Trump's return to the American political scene during this tense period has not only sparked discussions over his popularity or conservatism but also provoked critical debates, especially on the role of power in global politics. With Trump's resurgence, the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement has risen as a political culture that bears a stark semblance to the violent, racialised, and self-serving age of American imperialism.

Trump is carrying imperial cruelty to a higher level, giving it visibility and making it desirable to a significant portion of the American populace. Under his administration, imperial cruelty has become a political philosophy for the organisation of society, a disciplinary tool for th...