Dramatic television shows such as Game of Thrones have become extremely popular in their seemingly fantastical situations, just as Harry Potter is incredibly popular because of it’s magical fight against an evil wizard. However, these dramatic rebellions against evil and a constant stream of new characters isn’t just fiction anymore. With the election of Donald Trump in 2016, our American political system has become its own game of thrones and fight against a fascist supremacist leader.

Donald Trump’s cabinet is more complicated than one season of HBO’s highly detailed Game of Thrones. Instead of the Lannisters, the Baratheons, the Targaryens, and many more vying for the Iron Throne though, we have people like John Kelly, Omarosa, Sean Spicer, and Steve Bannon vying to remain in Trump’s Cabinet (with few staying in the game). Trump most likely holds the record for the shortest tenures of cabinet members in Presidential history. Many hold the record for shortest tenure in their respective offices: Reince Priebus, Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff, holds the shortest tenure for this office, as does Michael Flynn, Trump’s former National Security Advisor and Anthony Scaramucci, Trump’s former White House Director of Communications. Not only is the changing of our own Iron Cabinet more like the Transient Cabinet, but it also comes with the same amount of drama that Game of Thrones fans get.

Steve Bannon, Trump’s former Chief Strategist (a newly created position by Trump, which essentially granted Bannon the same influence as White House Chief of Staff), helped Trump create the Executive Order, dubbed the “Muslim Ban,” which restricted U.S travels and immigration concerning individuals from seven countries. As a country supposedly based on freedom of religion (hello First Amendment!), this discriminatory ban caused and continues to cause, major controversy. Similarly, Kelly Sadler, Trump’s former Special Assistant to the President, left the Cabinet after she mocked veteran Senator John McCain in a closed door meeting. Sean Spicer, Trump’s former White House Press Secretary, resigned as well. The most memorable consequence to come out of any of Trump’s Cabinet member’s tenures was Saturday Night Live’s skits involving comedians such as Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer, Kate McKinnon as Jeff Sessions, and Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump himself.

 Not all things that came from our current political climate are bad though. In times of trouble, we resort to what we know. And what do we know? How to overthrow impotent governments. In J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter, it ends up being the duty of teenagers and young adults to take charge and make things right. And that’s exactly what this generation is doing. More than ever before, young people are encouraging others and being encouraged to turn up to vote and protest. The Harry Potter equivalent? Dumbledore’s Army. Older generations may continue to underestimate the younger counterparts, but it’s undeniable that their influence is rising. Fiction has served as inspiration for this generation to take action and fight for their freedom, just as childhood heroes Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley did.We may even soon have a reenactment of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when the students came together to undermine Professor Umbridge. Instead, today’s generation may turn up together to support the new political candidates for the 2020 Presidential campaign, and finally oust Donald Trump. If life imitates art, then we’re in for an exciting election season!

By: Piper Loehrke

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