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The Case for Trump summary
The true story of how Donald Trump has become president
18 mins
Brief summary
The Case for Trump by Victor Davis Hanson dissects the unlikely rise of Donald Trump to the presidency, his policies, and the reaction of his opponents. It argues that Trump's appeal was his willingness to address the issues that mattered to Americans, and for that reason, he should be taken seriously.
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The Case for Trump
Summary of 6 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 6
Trump’s two signature campaign issues managed to appeal to a divided America.
On June 16, 2015, Donald Trump announced to the nation that he was running for president of the United States. But at the time, the nation was anything but united. And it hadn’t been for a long time.
Trump’s campaign took place in a divided America. Coastal liberal elites who had been enriching themselves off the back of globalization bookended an increasingly disenfranchised American heartland. Incomes in places like San Francisco and New York were skyrocketing, but middle-class wages in red states had been stagnating for decades. While coastal big tech, media and financial institutions hauled in trillions from their 7.4 billion potential global clients, America’s interior had lost out on jobs that had been shipped overseas.
But as Obama pushed the nation farther and farther to the left, Republican challengers like McCain and Romney were unable to counter it – they themselves were perceived as part of the elite, and were unable to capture the imagination of America’s white working-class interior. The problem wasn’t that red-state white working classes were voting for Democrats; they simply weren’t turning up in sufficient numbers to vote for uninspiring establishment Republicans.
Enter Donald Trump. Unlike previous Republicans, he wasn’t afraid to throw a wrench into things and disrupt the establishment. And by doing so, he was able to motivate a starkly divided and previously apathetic America to get out and vote.
He did so by relentlessly focusing on two major issues from the launch of his campaign all the way through to his ongoing presidency.
The first is, of course, the idea that America doesn’t win anymore. This was particularly the case with the seemingly unending and infinitely expensive wars that his predecessors had gotten involved in. Trump told middle America that while he would talk loudly and carry a big stick, he would only use his stick if he could win. Sure, he would “bomb the shit” out of ISIS and stand up to North Korea to keep Americans safe. But he would rather spend money on Americans who were hurting at home than on nation-building in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Secondly, Trump promised to protect American jobs by recalibrating the entire international economic order. While both parties had in the past supported globalization and free trade deals, Trump claimed that in doing so, they’d humiliated the American working classes whose jobs had been shipped overseas.
But perhaps even worse was that both Democrats and Republicans had allowed floods of cheap labor over the southern border to steal jobs away from Americans in their own country.
The simple solution that would energize his emerging base? Building a wall.
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What is The Case for Trump about?
The Case for Trump (2019) explains the story of how a businessman and reality TV star with no political experience managed to best his Republican rivals and Hillary Clinton to become president of the United States. And what’s more, it shows how Trump, despite being constantly attacked in the media, is managing to implement his policies successfully.
The Case for Trump Review
The Case for Trump (2019) is a thought-provoking exploration of Donald Trump's rise to power and his impact on American politics. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It provides a comprehensive analysis of Trump's policies, both domestic and foreign, shedding light on the motivations behind his actions and the consequences for the nation.
- Through careful research and historical context, the book offers readers a deeper understanding of the factors that contributed to Trump's electoral victory.
- With its balanced and nuanced perspective, the book challenges readers to think critically about the complexities of Trump's presidency and its implications for the future of American democracy.
Who should read The Case for Trump?
- Anyone wondering how Trump became president
- Both liberals and conservatives looking to understand Trumpism
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The Case for Trump FAQs
What is the main message of The Case for Trump?
The main message of The Case for Trump is a defense of President Trump's actions and policies.
How long does it take to read The Case for Trump?
The reading time for The Case for Trump varies depending on the reader, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Case for Trump a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Case for Trump offers an insightful perspective on Trump's presidency. It's worth reading for those interested in understanding his impact and motivations.
Who is the author of The Case for Trump?
The author of The Case for Trump is Victor Davis Hanson.
What to read after The Case for Trump?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Case for Trump, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Triggered by Donald Trump Jr.
- The Dying Citizen by Victor Davis Hanson
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- How to Become a People Magnet by Marc Reklau
- 12 Rules For Life by Jordan B. Peterson
- Failed States by Noam Chomsky
- Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do by Amy Morin
- Reversing Alzheimer's by Heather Sandison