It’s a Hollywood endorsement that few people saw coming. Vivian Kubrick, daughter of the legendary Oscar-winning director Stanley Kubrick, defended former President Donald Trump’s use of footage from her late father’s 1987 war film Full Metal Jacket in his latest campaign ad. The ad, which promotes a “non-woke” U.S. military, has sparked controversy for featuring clips from the iconic movie, which critiques the brutality of war and military training.
The Trump campaign’s ad, unveiled at recent campaign stops, features the infamous Marine drill instructor played by the late R. Lee Ermey. The footage is contrasted with clips of current administration officials and military personnel promoting LGBTQ inclusivity, which the ad criticizes as part of a “woke” agenda. Trump shared the ad on social media, declaring, “WE WILL NOT HAVE A WOKE MILITARY!”
WE WILL NOT HAVE A WOKE MILITARY! pic.twitter.com/zpWZhSKcEs
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 13, 2024
While acknowledging the irony of using anti-war film footage to promote a tough, non-woke military, Kubrick said she believed it was a pragmatic choice in “very dangerous and strange times.”
Here are my thoughts: I agree in principle that an anti-war movie is incongruous with promoting the idea of a tough non-woke US military and thus war itself – however – these are very dangerous and strange times and thus using this footage is doubtless pure expedience.
Because I’m sure the irony of using FMJ footage is not lost on Trump or his team – Trump is always seeking to end wars and use peaceful methods. However, that’s primarily what FMJ is about, the shocking and complicated paradoxes of human nature.
And thus, on this tooth and claw planet, you need a very strong military – so I’m going to stick with the idea that FMJ footage was used primarily because of its powerful, realistic portrayal of boot camp, juxtaposed with the entirely demoralizing and inappropriate injection of WOKE ideology into the USA military. Which I agree with myself and which I’m certain my father would have agreed with.
Truthfully, I believe my father (who supported Reagan), would very much approve of saving America, indeed the world, from the highly destructive Globalist forces threatening to take over this planet. And if that footage from FMJ helps Trump make the point that the US military needs properly trained, super tough, focused, dedicated warriors, and not introduce the demoralizing effects of woke-ism, and attracting people to join up simply to have their sexual reassignments paid for, then Trump has my blessing.
Finally, knowing my father very well, I can assure you he had a profound grasp of how paradoxical human nature is! Which accounts for how at the same time he made anti-war films, he had a great passion for guns (self-defense not hunting) and he had quite a few!
My father had a great respect for life – his movies being unimpeachable evidence of his love for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! So on that basis, I feel very confident he would be a Trump supporter and would forgive using FMJ incongruously, if it helps the cause of freedom!
According to The New York Post, Vivan Kubrick donated $93.69 to Trump’s 2024 campaign in August. She previously donated to the former president’s 2020 campaign and the presidential bids of Senator Rand Paul and Ron Paul, the father of Rand, both of whom have been outspoken critics of war.
