Vindicating Trump

Vindicating Trump attempts to paint a very different picture of the man than that of the DNC propaganda arm
74/10093773
Starring
Dinesh D'Souza, Alina Habba, Siaka Massaquoi
Directors
Debbie D'Souza, Dinesh D'Souza, Bruce Schooley
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Documentary
Release date
Sept 27, 2024
Overall Score
Rating Overview
Impactfullness
Production Quality
Narrative Materiel
Direction
Non-Wokeness
Rating Summary
Vindicating Trump is a somewhat unfocused documentary that may not change many minds but benefits from good production value and an interesting interview with Donald Trump.
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With fewer days between now and the election than between Trump assassination attempts, it’s more important than ever that freedom-loving Americans mobilize to motivate the electorate and protect the process. In Vindicating Trump, Dinesh D’souza attempts to paint a picture of the man divorced from the Hitlerian caricature portrayed by the propaganda arm of the DNC.

Dinesh D’souza

Dinesh D’Souza’s American journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Born in Mumbai to Catholic parents, D’Souza immigrated to the U.S. as a student in the late 1970s and eventually found himself advising on policy in the Reagan administration. In 2012, he entered the world of filmmaking with *2016: Obama’s America*, a documentary critical of then-President Obama that became the highest-grossing political film of all time. Since then, D’Souza has become a prolific political documentarian, producing films like *Hillary’s America* (2016), *Death of a Nation* (2018), and *2000 Mules* (2022). He is also a bestselling author, former president of The King’s College, and a well-known Republican pundit.

In 2014, D’Souza was convicted of violating campaign finance laws after pleading guilty to using a straw donor to contribute $20,000 to Wendy Long’s Senate campaign. He was sentenced to eight months in the Grossmont Community Corrections Center in San Diego, five years probation, and a $30,000 fine. In 2018, President Trump pardoned D’Souza, yet another moment that marked a significant chapter in his life.

 

Full Disclosure

When reviewing a politically charged documentary like this, I think it’s crucial to be transparent about where I stand. With the exception of my first presidential election (ah, to be 18 and naive), I’ve been a registered Republican my entire adult life. But it’s not because of the 99% of politicians who seem more focused on their careers—whether that’s living off taxpayer dollars or selling books on talk shows. I’m a Republican because I believe in fundamental principles: small government with limited federal control, capitalism as the best path to improving lives, a strong national defense, traditional values, the rule of law, and fiscal responsibility. Sadly, many elected officials with an “R” beside their name only pay lip service to these ideals. Another reason for my party affiliation is simple: where I live, party registration is tied to the primaries you vote in.

Now for the big reveal: I did not vote for Donald Trump in 2016. His rhetoric often rubbed me the wrong way, and I never cared for his vague, unfocused style, especially during his presidential campaigns. Reluctantly, I cast my vote for a third party that year for the first time. But, like many others who felt the same, I quickly came around during his presidency. While I still have reservations about certain things, knowing what kind of leader he became has helped soften those concerns. In 2020, I proudly voted for him, and I plan to do so again.

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This is all to say that I neither believe Trump can do no wrong nor am I part of the mob eager for his downfall.

 

Vindicating Trump Review

Whether it’s to show the human cost of war, the bizarre youth of the legacy elite, or reveal anti-racist grifters as the charlatans they are, all documentaries attempt to tell a story in the hopes that the audience comes away with a new understanding of the subject matter. Arguably, the very best documentaries can change hearts and minds and even spur people to positive action.

Thanks to a lifetime of documenting and working within the Republican political sphere, D’souza’s documentaries almost always benefit from unparalleled behind-the-scenes access, and so it is in Vindicating Trump. In it, he spends significant time chatting with the head of the RNC and daughter-in-law to the once and would-be future president, Lara Trump, as well as The Don’s lead criminal attorney, Alina Habba. However, it is his time spent with the man himself, Donald Trump, in which the movie is most impactful.

Filmed not long after the first of two assassination attempts just weeks apart, his ear still marked from the bullet that was mere millimeters from ending his life, Donald Trump presents a far softer side of himself than many in the public have seen before. It is in these unshielded moments, when juxtaposed with the fierce defiance that he showed on July 13, in what has become one of the most iconic images in modern history, that the man beneath the bluster shines through: his genuine desire to see America and Americans prosper in safety and peace. It’s rather touching and worth watching for this, if nothing else.

In this same interview, D’souza touches on what is arguably the film’s most poignant observation: the considerable power that President Trump could wield via his ardent supporters if he were the kind of man to do so.

iconic image of trump's defiance in the face of an attempted assassination. his face is raised and the secret service surrounding him as the american flag waves in the background. a definitive picture of the documentary vindicating trump

Regrettably, the documentary falters in several key areas as it progresses. The first 60% of the film oscillates between efforts to humanize Trump through interviews with him and his inner circle and exposing the duplicity of bad actors in the mainstream media, DNC, and DOJ.

The attempts to humanize Trump, however, come off as overly scripted, at times feeling more like slick infomercials. The questions are softball and lacking depth—the kind we often criticize the Left-leaning media for tossing to their preferred candidates (“Why is Trump so great, and why is the media so awful?”—not that blunt, but close). The responses feel too polished, leaving viewers uncertain whether they were rehearsed or if the two women being interviewed are just particularly poised and knowledgeable about the inner workings of the subject. It doesn’t help that D’Souza’s frequent, enthusiastic nodding evokes late-night infomercial vibes reminiscent of a “ShamWow” salesman. “It dices AND slices?”

The credibility of the interviewees is another major concern. Lara Trump, though a trusted voice, isn’t exactly impartial—she’s not only family by marriage but also the spokesperson for the RNC, so it’s hard not to expect some spin. Alina Habba, on the other hand, is a paid legal representative whose job is to defend Trump. Her involvement might have felt more natural if her role had been more focused on breaking down the legal absurdity of some charges rather than being used as another character witness. The absence of Milania, Don Jr., Ivanka, or other close family members only highlights this imbalance further.

Improving things somewhat, the rest of this section of the film is devoted to media bias. One of Vindicating Trump’s more effective tactics is to show montages and video collages of hordes of pundits and news outlets spouting identical anti-Trump talking points nearly word for word. While it’s not definitive proof of fraudulence, it certainly shows that they are all clearly working together and puts the question to their credibility.

Another bright spot, Vindicating Trump features reenactments that speculatively depict key behind-the-scenes moments at the DNC and DOJ. They aren’t as impactful as actual receipts, but they are a lot of fun nevertheless. Ranging from their derision of the initial announcement of Trump’s candidacy to their possible collusion with one another to ensure his loss, each one is a funny and feel-good manifestation of many of our (the Right) assumptions. In a nice change from many other docs, the performances are fairly decent (as docudramas go) as well, with Nick Searcy (Reagan) and Jarret LeMaster (Woke Jesus – The Babylon Bee) standing out.

Finally, the remaining 30% of the film takes a sudden turn as it becomes almost entirely about the ease with which nefarious parties could exploit weaknesses in our ballotting system. While it’s compelling, it’s also a jarring thematic departure that feels like it would be more at home in 2000 Mules, another D’souza film that focuses solely on voter fraud.

All in all, Vindicating Trump is a bit of a head-scratcher with an unclear purpose or audience. It is neither a hard-hitting exposé revealing the dark truth behind a corrupt system, a fully fleshed-out character piece that gives unique and persuasive insights into a deeply misunderstood and misrepresented man, nor is it a focused unmasking of voter fraud. Instead, Vindicating Trump appears to be more of a sizzle reel for three separate documentaries for each of these. Some undecided voters may have their minds changed after watching it, but most viewers will likely come away with the same perspective with which they entered.

 

WOKE ELEMENTS

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James Carrick

James Carrick is a passionate film enthusiast with a degree in theater and philosophy. James approaches dramatic criticism from a philosophic foundation grounded in aesthetics and ethics, offering insight and analysis that reveals layers of cinematic narrative with a touch of irreverence and a dash of snark.

9 comments

  • Ktuff_morning

    September 23, 2024 at 11:43 am

    “I’m a Republican because I believe in fundamental principles: small government with limited federal control, capitalism as the best path to improving lives, a strong national defense, traditional values, the rule of law, and fiscal responsibility.”

    Your nominee is the avatar for the exact opposite of your supposed principles.

    Small government with limited federal control…EXCEPT for Trump’s blueprint for fascism Project 2025.

    Capitalism as the best path to improving peoples lives…EXCEPT when it comes to socialist corporate subsidies and imposing anti-free trade tariff price controls, and Trump picks and chooses the winners in the economy by criticizing businesses and business leaders he doesn’t like.

    A strong national defense…EXCEPT when it comes to protecting and expanding NATO with Ukraine or the compromised Russian asset Trump trying to take his boot off our enemy’s throat Russia when they’re down

    Traditional values….EXCEPT when your nominee is a self-confessed rapist, instigator of violence, serial liar, foul-mouthed sleazeball and all-around terrible influence for children.

    The rule of law…EXCEPT when your nominee is a convicted felon, shamelessly pardons his political allies and donors WHO PLED GUILTY, and creates a brazenly corrupt extreme right wing Supreme Court that politicizes the law.

    Fiscal responsibility…EXCEPT when your nominee is a grifter, tax cheat and convicted for fraud.

    This is what I keep saying; Right wing authoritarians don’t really believe what they say they believe. In the exact same vein Christians don’t really believe what they say they believe. Burglary, murder and divorce rates for Christians and non-Christians are the same.

    I have to say otherwise your review strained in several respects to be fair. My favorite part was “slices and dices”. That made me smirk.

    BTW Trump’s fist-pumping after he got shot was grotesque. He was more aware of how he looked on TV than caring for his own physical well-being. Look at that picture. He made himself vulnerable to another bullet. He’s puffing himself up like he’s a badass and he’s covered with his own blood. I don’t see someone who’s 100% sane.

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    • Trumpsmanspunkcurescovid

      September 23, 2024 at 1:07 pm

      Bro stfu. All you do is come here and complain about shit. Trump throwing his fists into the air is not grotesque! He was symbolizing to us and his other followers that he is okay and that we need to FIGHT.

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      • Ktuff_morning

        September 24, 2024 at 3:11 pm

        No, you stfu. I’m the only class in the joint. The words I say are truthfully true. Pop quiz hotshot: on the website banner picture which one of us is the triggered bih with the purple hair? Hint: I’m on the left and you’re on the right. Get it?

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  • S@ltyLick

    September 25, 2024 at 11:11 pm

    HAHAHAHAHA you signed up to a website just to peddle your inane ramblings. Good for you, enjoy the next 4 years.

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    • gay####lover

      October 23, 2024 at 10:04 pm

      sir you forgot to hit the reply button to the post i presumed you wanted to reply to 🙂 👍

      Reply

  • WilliamWallace

    October 4, 2024 at 3:29 pm

    Great job Dinesh
    More like a docu movie.
    Entertaining and enlightening.
    Some greatest hits clips of Trump. Some classic bloopers of Kamala Harris. Actors portraying department heads from the FBI and CIA and the media all colluding on how to take down Trump. Good explanations on how cheating is done in the elections.
    Thoroughly enjoyed it.

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  • Nerdettesnewsstand

    October 15, 2024 at 11:03 am

    Trumps married to a woman, woke

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  • asdfasdfasdfasdsfasdghrtg

    October 29, 2024 at 2:17 am

    this website is a complete joke! trump movie 25% woke?? BAJAJHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAH!!!

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