America’s Next Story: Trumpism After Trump

In this episode of "The Opinions," David Leonhardt interviews Gladden Pappin, editor of American Affairs and president of the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs, about the rise of Trumpism and national conservatism in American politics. Pappin discusses his initial skepticism towards Trump, his eventual recognition of Trump's connection with a segment of the population left behind by the Republican Party, and the outdated nature of the old conservative vision. The conversation explores the appeal of Trump's vision to voters, the role of immigration in the rise of the right, and concerns about hostility to democracy within the new populist right. Pappin defends the Trump administration's questioning of American institutions and identifies figures like J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio as embodying the ideas of national conservatism. The episode concludes with a discussion about the positive story that national conservatives will tell about the future of America.