President Trump has an almost Apollonian daytime argument in favor of his continued political dominance, which is “Jobs Jobs Jobs!,” “MAGA!” and so forth. He also has a nighttime argument about decline, racial resentment and ethnic hatred. He pushes both strains hard, but the evidence suggests that his heart is really in the hate.
Through gut (or gutter) instinct, Trump has adopted a political strategy designed to exploit anger at and resentment toward immigrants as well as racial and ethnic minorities. This is the linchpin of his approach to the 2020 election. CONT.
Thomas B. Edsall, New York Times