Trumpism, The Defining Factor of Modern American Right-Wing Politics

U.S. politics before 2016 were somewhat predictable, with two political parties having their own distinct political lineages and dynasties, such as the Kennedys, the Clintons, the Bushes, and so on.

Then 2016 happened.

When they say that Trump broke U.S. politics, it is not a subjective analysis but an objective one. Trump is truly going to be regarded as one of the strangest phenomena in the U.S. political scene in the 21st century, and for better or worse, his administration and appeal to the public will remain points of contention, so, what is the "Trumpism" that his critics and supporters talk about? Does Donald Trump even have his own ideology?

What is Trumpism?

It should be noted that Donald Trump never spoke about Trumpism. In fact, he never openly stated what sort of belief system he subscribes to; he only discussed the values he believes in and mentioned that values can exist in both left-leaning and right-leaning ideologies without inherent conflict. So, what does Donald Trump believe in? at least to the extent of beliefs that his supporters create an image of what they consider to be Trumpism?

Populism: Trump wants to appeal to working-class, tax-paying Americans. He promises to focus on America first and to highlight how traditional political establishments have betrayed the trust of American citizens, whether he actually does what he promises is another topic, it is simply a tune that the average American denizen has not heard for a long, long time.

Nationalism: There is a strong emphasis on American sovereignty and needs before all, he focuses on reducing immigration, and prioritizing U.S. interests in global affairs. This includes policies like stricter immigration controls, economic protectionism (e.g., tariffs), and a focus on American-made goods, of course, one may argue that reducing immigration would be weird for America, considering that one point or another, the vast majority of Americans are themselves descended from Immigrants - over 8 million Americans are descended from Irish immigrants for example, and another 1 million from Spain, although I believe all voters can agree on stronger border controls.

Anti-globalism: Trump tends to be skeptical of international organizations and agreements, such as the United Nations or the Paris Climate Agreement. It also rejects multilateralism in favor of bilateral deals that favor U.S. interests, this can be seen through his arguments and criticism towards NATO and the EU and other regional organizations even in North America, such as his relations and trade of wars between the US and Canada & Mexico

Authoritarian tendencies: Critics of Trump argue that he involves a centralization of power in the executive branch and a disregard for traditional checks and balances. Trump's style of leadership often involves direct communication with the public, bypassing traditional media outlets, and while this is not a damning thing by himself, the unprofessionalism of US government accounts have been noted, especially in their attacks that are directed towards US Media accounts, it is also known that the American President has ignored direct court rulings from Federal judges and courts, which does not bode well with the American judiciary.

Cultural conservatism: Trump aligns himself with more conservative positions on social issues, such as opposing abortion, supporting traditional family values, and championing religious freedoms - this is also a normal talking point that is protected by the US constutition and is not a criticism of the man by himself, but the culture war of the last two decades has been ongoing violently in the US on both the ground and in the internet landscape, American society is simply polarized, and national unity is starting to be non-existent.

America First: This slogan is central to Trump, he can be considered the founder of it in the modern era, reflecting an "America first" approach to foreign policy, trade, and economic relations is his entire shtick and value that he provides to the American citizen, It emphasizes prioritizing the well-being of U.S. citizens and businesses over international concerns.

However, the so-called Trumpism is not the "premier" ideology of America in the sense of being the dominant, overarching belief system that defines the entire country. The United States, after all, has a diverse political landscape with various ideologies and movements—from liberalism to conservatism, to progressivism, libertarianism, and others. Every spectrum of ideology, belief, and faith can be found within the confines of the United States.

But it cannot be denied that Trumpism has become a political force centered on one man alone within Republican and conservative factions, and it has shaped American discourse over the last nine years.

Nevertheless, the pluralistic society of the United States remains as it was. Movements of all kinds and ideological systems continue to exist. American political thought and policy cannot be defined by a single ideology, and I doubt this is what the Founding Fathers intended the U.S. Constitution to do—define the ideas of the state