Criticism of Donald Trump: Not Attacking His Supporters

In 1975, Irving Kristol was contemplating populism. He wrote that it

This brings us to the current situation of the Republican Party, and to a considerable extent, the conservative movement as well. Many defenders of former president Donald Trump, as well as Trump himself, have actively been pushing a narrative very similar to what Kristol described. In this narrative, criticizing or even disliking Donald Trump is to have contempt for his supporters. Critics become “enemies of the people”; Trump himself becomes the people’s sole acceptable vessel and steward. By this logic, Trump’s supporters are led to believe that anyone who criticizes Trump is just using him as a way to attack them.

JK

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Jake Kroesen

Jake Kroesen is a junior at the University of Central Missouri.

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In 1975, Irving Kristol was contemplating populism. He wrote that it

This brings us to the current situation of the Republican Party, and to a considerable extent, the conservative movement as well. Many defenders of former president Donald Trump, as well as Trump himself, have actively been pushing a narrative very similar to what Kristol described. In this narrative, criticizing or even disliking Donald Trump is to have contempt for his supporters. Critics become “enemies of the people”; Trump himself becomes the people’s sole acceptable vessel and steward. By this logic, Trump’s supporters are led to believe that anyone who criticizes Trump is just using him as a way to attack them.