New Books in American Politics Is the U.S. helping speed up its own decline? with Damon Linker
Sep 8, 2025
In this insightful discussion, Damon Linker, a political writer and scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, dives into the complexities of U.S. political dynamics. He explores how Trump's approach to presidential power challenges traditional norms and institutions. The conversation touches on the decline of expert governance and the implications of prioritizing national self-interest in foreign policy. Linker also reflects on how fringe thinkers shape today's political landscape, raising questions about democracy and America's evolving role in the global order.
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Executive Freedom Over Administrative Expertise
- Damon Linker argues Trump's movement favors broad executive freedom over rule-bound administration and expertise.
- That vision risks dismantling meritocratic agencies and restoring a spoils-style government.
Freedom Of Action, Not Restraint
- Linker distinguishes 'restraint' rhetoric from actual MAGA goals of unconstrained presidential action.
- He says the movement prizes a leader's unilateral freedom rather than genuine strategic restraint.
Schmittian Emergency Politics Resurfaces
- Linker traces an intellectual lineage from Carl Schmitt to Strauss to contemporary right-wing decisionism.
- Schmitt's emergency politics offers a theoretical route to favoring unconstrained executive power.
