Explore Donald Trump’s enduring impact on American politics with Victor Davis Hanson. Discover insights and analysis that shape his lasting legacy.
Introduction
The political landscape of the United States has been irrevocably altered by the rise and enduring influence of Donald Trump. While his detractors see a legacy of division and norm-breaking, his supporters, and indeed many political commentators, see a necessary and seismic shift away from a failing establishment. To understand this complex and often contradictory legacy, there are few better guides than Victor Davis Hanson. The classicist, military historian, and Hoover Institution senior fellow has spent years analyzing Trump’s appeal and the lasting changes he has wrought. This deep dive will explore Hanson’s perspective, touching on the cultural, political, and economic shifts he attributes to the 45th and 47th presidents.
The Rise of the “Forgotten American”
Hanson’s central thesis, articulated most clearly in his book The Case for Trump, is that Trump’s appeal stemmed from his ability to speak directly to the “forgotten Americans”—the working-class citizens in the nation’s interior who felt abandoned by the coastal elites of both political parties. These are the people whose jobs were outsourced, whose communities were hollowed out by deindustrialization, and whose cultural values were often derided by the media and political establishment.
The Appeal of Authenticity
According to Hanson, Trump’s unconventional style was not a bug, but a feature. His unfiltered tweets and off-the-cuff remarks, while shocking to many, were seen as a form of authenticity by his supporters. They viewed him as a man who wasn’t a polished politician, who spoke his mind, and who was willing to challenge the status quo. This was a stark contrast to the perceived phoniness of a political class that often seemed more concerned with rhetoric and decorum than with the real-life struggles of everyday people. For Hanson, this directness was a key to Trump’s success.
Reshaping the Republican Party and Foreign Policy
Beyond his appeal to a specific demographic, Hanson argues that Trump’s legacy lies in his fundamental transformation of the Republican Party and his disruption of global foreign policy norms. He took a party once defined by neoconservative foreign policy and a focus on corporate interests and remade it into a populist, working-class movement.
A New “America First” Doctrine
Hanson has consistently argued that Trump’s “America First” foreign policy was not isolationist, but realist. While critics pointed to his challenges to NATO and other international alliances, Hanson sees this as a necessary push for other nations to bear their fair share of the burden. He credits Trump with changing the dynamic with countries like China, using tariffs as a tool to demand fairer trade and to push back against a rising, and often hostile, global power. This approach, while controversial, has since been at least partially adopted by political leaders of all stripes, a testament to its lasting impact.
The Culture War and the “Great Reaction”
Hanson also views Trump as a pivotal figure in the ongoing American culture war. He believes Trump’s presidency was a direct reaction against what he calls “woke” ideology and the pervasive influence of what he sees as a progressive, “deep state” bureaucracy.
The War on Norms
Trump’s repeated attacks on institutions like the FBI, the Justice Department, and the media were, in Hanson’s view, a direct response to what he and many of his supporters saw as a concerted effort to undermine his presidency. This has led to a lasting climate of distrust in these institutions, but for Hanson, this distrust was not created by Trump, but simply exposed by him. This “great reaction,” as Hanson might call it, has fueled a new political alignment, one less focused on traditional party lines and more on a cultural and ideological divide.
In conclusion, Victor Davis Hanson’s analysis offers a compelling framework for understanding the profound and lasting impact of Donald Trump. From his ability to connect with a forgotten populace to his revolutionary approach to foreign policy and his central role in the nation’s culture war, Trump’s legacy is, in Hanson’s eyes, a complex tapestry of disruption and a long-overdue correction.
Donald Trump, Victor Davis Hanson, Trump legacy, American politics, foreign policy, populism, culture war, Republican Party, deep state, American Greatness
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