Jane Goodall, the legendary British anthropologist whose groundbreaking work on chimpanzees transformed our understanding of the species, passed away on October 2 at the age of 91. Beyond her work with chimpanzees, Goodall often shared her insights on human behavior—and in recent years, she spoke candidly about former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Back in 2016, during Trump’s first presidential campaign, Goodall compared his behavior to that of male chimpanzees performing dominance rituals. She told The Atlantic, “In many ways, the performances of Donald Trump remind me of male chimpanzees and their dominance displays. To impress rivals, males stamp, slap the ground, drag branches, or throw rocks—the more vigorous the display, the faster they rise in the hierarchy.”
Her observation caused quite a stir at the time. Years later, in a 2022 MSNBC interview, she revisited the comparison after a clip of Trump embracing the American flag and calling himself a “perfect physical specimen” was shown. Goodall remarked, laughing, “I see the same behavior male chimpanzees show when competing for dominance. They swagger, project aggression, and try to appear larger than they are to intimidate rivals.”
She added a sobering note about her concerns for America, saying, “The divisiveness being created in the U.S. is a tragedy—and it can have ripple effects around the world.”
Jane Goodall’s remarks remind us that her understanding of human and animal behavior was deeply intertwined, and she never shied away from speaking her mind—even on the global stage.
