Trump, of course, claims to be the retribution for the oppressed white American Christians who are constantly mocked by the coastal elites. His rhetoric is angry and reactionary. At the same time, he is apparently telling potential donors that he will govern as a traditional Republican, albeit as one who is a bit rough with his mouth. This means there will be tax cuts and deregulation galore for business interests; his faux economic populism is just a distraction to keep the base on side.
This kind of dishonest dualism on social and economic issues is a feature, not a bug, of Trumpism. You could argue that it is a cynical but effective way of bridging the gap between the PBP and Reactionary factions of the Republican Party. It also keeps Trump’s options open as long as possible, which is another feature of his form of government.
The obvious question, of course, is what should America believe? In my next post on this subject, I will discuss how Trumpian dualism also pervades his foreign policy style. In the concluding post, I will tell you what you can trust, what you can’t, and why.