Trump Channels His Inner Stone Cold Steve Austin in Political Smackdown

Donald Trump is the "Stone Cold Steve Austin" of politics, according to ex-advisor Sam Nunberg. The 79-year-old former president has taken a page straight from the WWE playbook, adopting a "smack talk" style that echoes the brashness of wrestling's most notorious anti-hero.

In an upcoming documentary, Nunberg draws parallels between Trump's audacious persona and that of the rebellious grappler who captivated audiences during the WWE's Attitude Era with his unapologetic rants. "Donald Trump isn’t about ‘hope and change’—he’s all about smash-mouth, WWE-style politics," Nunberg asserts, emphasizing Trump's tough-guy image as he challenges the political establishment.

“An iconoclastic, outside heel working for the people,” he continues. “He’s like a working-class billionaire, a face in the way Stone Cold was a face.” The documentary, titled *Wrestling With Trump*, is set to air soon, featuring Nunberg's first encounter with Trump as a five-year-old at WrestleMania 5, where he was caught on camera in the front row.

Trump's brief but memorable involvement in WWE, particularly his "Battle of the Billionaires" storyline with Vince McMahon, has left a lasting impact on his political strategy, according to Nunberg. “I think I piqued his interest when I reminded him of our first meeting,” he recalls, sharing a laugh with Trump over old footage. “The way you took on Vince—that’s the kind of appeal your candidacy is going to have.”

Nunberg believes that Trump’s campaign borrowed heavily from wrestling’s dramatic flair. “Bring those storylines, those concepts—outsider, businessman, excitement. It’s all WWE-type excitement,” he explains. “That idea was never rejected.”

Chris DeJoseph, a former WWE writer who scripted Trump’s feud with McMahon, adds that the theatrics of wrestling have significantly influenced Trump’s political rallies. “Look at how he sets them up—saying things that get the crowd to boo and throwing them red meat to cheer,” DeJoseph notes. “He picked up a lot from professional wrestling.”

Wrestler Bryan Idol echoes this sentiment, stating, “Wrestling influenced Donald Trump 1,000%. The psychology of pro wrestling is at the core of everything he does.” He points to a moment during a rally in 2024 when Trump survived an assassination attempt and defiantly raised his fist—a move reminiscent of his wrestling days. “What would a regular person do? They’d run for cover. But he stands tall and gets that babyface pop,” Idol remarks. “That moment won him the election.”

Idol also suggests that some of Trump’s infamous slogans are rooted in wrestling smack talk. “It’s brilliant and entertaining,” he says, referring to phrases like “crooked Hillary Clinton” and “deranged Jack Smith.” “He makes it easy for you to identify the bad guys. It’s humorous but not exactly ideal for politics.”

*Wrestling With Trump* is set to air on Channel 4 soon, promising to delve deeper into the intersection of wrestling theatrics and political drama.