Dissecting the populist leadership style of President Donald Trump

Places Trump’s presidential leadership style within a comparatively historical and political development theoretical framework Considers Trump’s use of social media as a form of public politics that represents an adaptation of presidential communication style to new technology while rebuffing the traditional bully pulpitAssesses the impact of Trump’s negative rhetoric and efforts to challenge if not delegitimize other national institutions (Courts, Congress), question media truthfulness, and his personalization of political opponents Employs case studies to weigh Trump’s political strategy, from mobilizing grassroots support to foreign diplomacy This book evaluates the presidency of Donald Trump from a comparative, historical approach to connect his populist style to his predecessors.

Trump’s method of communication through social media obviously differs from previous candidates and presidents with populist platforms, but his themes - a disdain for elites, grassroots support, majoritarianism, anti-intellectual discourse, and nativism—borrow variably from such figures as Andrew Jackson, Huey Long, Barry Goldwater, and Ross Perot. As such, Trump’s approach to governance falls within a long tradition of populism dating to the 19th Century.