Slate Daily Feed Amicus | The Three Faces Of Trumpism
Nov 29, 2025
Jed Britton Purdy, a law professor and author, joins to dissect the complex narratives surrounding Trumpism. The discussion navigates three competing scripts: authoritarian takeover, continuity of deep-rooted democratic issues, and legitimate transformative change, likened to past eras like the New Deal. Purdy outlines the tactics of the current administration while contrasting defensive strategies against deeper reforms. The conversation also explores themes of popular constitutionalism and the importance of pluralistic reasoning in today's political climate.
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Authoritarian Playbook In Plain Sight
- The administration's actions mirror an authoritarian playbook seen in Hungary and Brazil, signaling consolidation of unaccountable executive power.
- Targets include courts, media, universities, and electoral stability, shifting politics toward friend-enemy logic.
Trumpism As Continuation, Not Origin
- Trumpism also intensifies longstanding U.S. trends like executive aggrandizement, harsh immigration enforcement, and oligarchic responsiveness.
- On this view, Trump reveals preexisting constitutional rot rather than inventing it.
Constitutional Change Without Amendments
- Some defenders argue major constitutional change happens through politics, not amendments, citing New Deal and Civil Rights-era transformations.
- They see today's moves as contested democratic change rather than the end of the constitutional order.
