Made in America: The dark history that led to Donald Trump

Trump’s second term, even more than his first, is often called ‘unprecedented’. But history shows that Trump and his policies are as American as apple pie…

‘A well argued and elegant answer to the question, how did America get to this place? … The ideal antidote to the coarseness of the times.’ Justin Webb, presenter of Americast

‘Pithy, entertaining and informative . . . Stourton makes a persuasive case that Trump is a logical outcome of American history’ Guardian

Much of what Donald Trump does seems maverick and even mad. His actions and policy pronouncements are a stark rupture from the American style of leadership that we have lived with all our lives. But whether we like them or not, his trade tariffs, his determination to deport tens of thousands of people, and his apparent contempt for the rule of law are deeply rooted in American history.

Since Donald Trump took office plenty of people – on both sides of the Atlantic – have argued that he will destroy his country’s democracy. Made in America shows how the ideal of liberty has been tested in past generations, from the first intolerant Pilgrims to the brutal invasion of Mexico, revealing the dark side of the American Dream in order to offer urgent lessons to our turbulent present.

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