In the wake of President Donald Trump’s 2020 electoral loss, one key question is what kind of future the unique style of politics he carved out has in the Republican Party. Colloquially, this question is often put this way: What becomes of Trumpism after Trump?
To answer that question, it is important to look at the forces that played a role in preparing the ground for a politician like Trump, who supported him during his presidency, and who is likely to be a significant cultural force even after Trump leaves office. No other platform has served to support the president as strongly as Fox News. For decades, the network has played a prominent role in structuring American conservatism and Republican partisan politics. Over the last four years, President Trump in particular has used it as his personal platform, appearing on air dozens of times during his presidency. And Fox News is poised to be the cultural force that preserves and transmits the worldview of Trumpism into America’s future. CONTINUED
Public Religion Research Institute
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