Was the Trump phenomenon a historical accident? Reinterpreting the history of the American right

Convinced that political liberalism was deeply rooted in the US, American historians long downplayed the far right’s influence within the conservative movement. In light of new historiography, Trump appears less a historical accident and more the result of a long gestation.

​Convinced that political liberalism was deeply rooted in the US, American historians long downplayed the far right’s influence within the conservative movement. In light of new historiography, Trump appears less a historical accident and more the result of a long gestation.