Trump’s Influence on Republican Party: A Historical Perspective
In the second term of former president Donald Trump’s administration, many still hold onto an antiquated view of his political influence and the nation’s decent into intense political partisanship. Even with the hindsight of two terms in power, many perceive Trump as a standalone phenomenon, an anomaly in the United States’ political landscape. There’s a persistent search for ‘principled conservatives’, reliable figures who uphold democratic establishments, as they hope to counterbalance his influence. But these aspirations are seemingly futile. Trump and his ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) movement didn’t usurp the Republican party or the right-wing politics. Their union was wholly voluntary. Essentially, he gave conservatives the green light to unabashedly show their real identities, without the need for pretense.
To delve deeper into the origins of this present moment, I initiated a dialogue with historian Allan J. Lichtman. At the core of our conversation was the assertion that Trump’s rise and the manifestation of American authoritarianism are the culmination of a century-long evolution in American conservativism. Lichtman cautions that there isn’t a silver bullet, an immediate solution, to the ongoing democratic crisis. As we traverse Trump’s lasting political era and his comeback to power, he conveys a sense of apprehension and concern.
At 78 years of age, Lichtman carries a wealth of personal history to color his perspective of current events. His experiences range from witnessing the final year of President Dwight Eisenhower’s administration and John F. Kennedy’s campaign in New York City to living through the Vietnam War and negotiating medical deferment from the draft. He also has vivid memories of the Watergate scandal and the Iran-Contra affair. However, the threat our democracy faces under Trump’s reign is unprecedented in his view. Within a short period, actions taken under Trump’s helm threaten to unwind America’s democratic advancements since the late 18th century. Lichtman haltingly acknowledges that Trump’s actions mirror those of modern-day autocrats.
How should we understand the current shifts in the Republican party and the broader conservative movement? The actions of Trump and conservative Republicans today are not without historical context. There are parallels to be found in the conservatism of the past century, spanning not just the Republican party but also including Southern Democrats under the Jim Crow laws. These Southern Democrats – once a faction unto themselves – are now assimilated within Republican ranks. According to Lichtman, the public professions of conservatives over the past 100 years often stand at odds with their actions, and in many ways, they contravene their professed values.
For instance, consider the principle of free enterprise. Despite this professed belief, Republican leaders have often imposed tariffs. Also, they seemingly intervene in markets and free-trade processes by proffering special tax cuts, subsidies, and loan guarantees to large corporations. Their stated commitment to limited government is negated by actions such as augmenting the power of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), infringing on LGBTQ rights, intervention in education policy, and controlling women’s reproductive rights. These instances point towards intrusive government intervention, instead of the conservative ideal of limited government.
In a provocative summation, Lichtman asserts that Democrats lack resilience while Republicans veer off their stated principles. Modern Republicans, in his view, are primarily focused on amassing and consolidating power for personal financial gain, Trump serving as a prime example. It’s not just about Trump though; the majority of Republicans in Congress and across states align themselves with Trump’s agenda, not solely out of fear but also due to genuine agreement with his policies.
Should Trump leave the political scene, the conservative Republicans would undoubtedly feel the impact due to the loss of their key figurehead; however, their basic approach to governance would remain unaltered. Lichtman argues that Trump’s reign symbolizes the fulfillment rather than a deviation of traditional conservatism.
The belief widely held among many who subscribe to a now outdated understanding of American politics and culture argues that Trump has ‘taken over’ the Republican party and the conservative movement. However, hard evidence to support such a claim is scant. In truth, Trump has merely empowered the existing Republican and conservative factions to express their true beliefs without restraint. Lichtman agrees, asserting that there is little substantial support for the proposition that Trump has seized control of the Republican party. Trump has risen to the helm of the party because his actions resonate with the party’s base voters, plain and simple.
During Trump’s Presidential campaign in 2024, he captured a higher percentage of the conservative vote than any previous candidate in history, including Ronald Reagan in his significant 1984 landslide victory. Trump’s audacity, vulgarity, and blatant disregard for norms and laws—features that have served him well in his public and business life—are unlikely to change. Trump remains unchecked within the Republican party and the broader right-wing faction.
Trump, along with his MAGA-supporting Republicans, are undermining legal precedence and constitutional law. They act in contradiction to the ‘principled conservatives’ often seen brandishing pocket-sized versions of the Constitution while decrying the evils of a large government. Now acting more monarch than president, even conservative Supreme Court justices seemingly enable his autocratic actions. Republicans and conservatives have long claimed to uphold a strict constructionist interpretation of the Constitution, law and order, governmental restraint, fiscal accountability, free enterprise, and traditional Christian values. However, these proclaimed principles appear to be superficial and deviously manipulated for public consumption.
Lichtman suggests that amidst these easily disposable ideas meant for public approval, conservatives protect two core principles. First, they guard private enterprise, which differs significantly from free enterprise, explaining tax cuts, deregulations, tariffs, subsidies for the wealthy and large corporations, and their opposition to labor unions. Second, they safeguard their skewed interpretations of Judeo-Christian teachings. They fixate on issues such as homosexuality, abortion, and female subordination, ignoring primary teachings of Christianity and Jesus, such as a skepticism of greed and wealth. Today’s Republicans, conservatives, and notably Trump, have seemingly no reverence for truth.
Trump has signaled his intentions to run for a third term, an act that would openly defy the Constitution. Already, actions taken by Trump suggest a disregard for America’s system of free and fair elections. Furthermore, his response to the events of January 6th showed a rejection of the peaceful transfer of power, typically held sacred in our democracy. Based on this course, it seems probable that Trump will employ all possible means to maintain his foothold on power. If he isn’t the occupant of the White House, he’s likely to support and back his MAGA successors.
When asked what advice to offer or what political strategies might be effective against Trump and his MAGA-supporting Republicans, Lichtman counsels on democratic courage. Picture a bolder, more assertive democratic force that ceases playing defensive tactics. Reviewing the most significant initiatives since the 1930s that benefited the average American—bank deposit insurance, federal home loans, Social Security, rural electrification, Medicare, Medicaid, educational aid, the Affordable Care Act, and the Biden infrastructure plan—the Republicans have little or nothing they can present as competition. They should unabashedly champion what they stand for: a government that provides positive benefits for American people.
Lichtman had predicted Kamala Harris as the victor of the recent elections, marking the first instance of an incorrect prognosis in over 40 years. He attributes the misstep to an election steeped in misinformation, which rendered a rational, pragmatic decision-making electorate incapable of making informed choices. He cites abortion rights as an issue that should have predicted a landslide victory for Harris and the Democrats, but the distortion and confusion sown about the Democrats’ stance on women’s reproductive rights neutralized that advantage.
Looking ahead, Lichtman fears we could still be discussing Donald Trump four years from now. Despite wishing for a different turn of events, he accepts the pressing reality. With only seven months into his term, Trump has already inflicted significant damage to the United States, more so than any president in the last 150 years.