"Trump Phenomenon" And Its Impact On American Politics

In the 2016 American presidential election,Donald Trump,a “political neophyte” and “political outsider”,unexpectedly won the election and became the 45 th American president.Donald Trump's surprising victory stunned the world,and related researches on Donald Trump became a research hotspot both inside America and the world.The unexpected success of Donald Trump was known as the “Trump Phenomenon”.The reason Donald Trump managed to defeat his rivalry Hilary Clinton was because he won the support of the electorate from the “rust belt” states.Trump's supporters,mainly the middle class white males and blue-collar workers,who suffered from the economic strike brought about by globalization and identity threats from the new immigrants,as well as their growing distrust towards the political elites,chose Donald Trump as their new representative.In fact,behind the “Trump phenomenon” was actually the resurgence of American populism.This article gives a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for Trump's unexpected success and the appearance of “Trump Phenomenon” from the perspective of populism,as well as its impact on American politics.Donald Trump,as a representative of the “people” or the “silent majority”,held high the banner of “anti-globalization”,“anti-elitist” and “anti-establishment”,which helped to portray himself as the person on the “people's” side.Together with the resurgence of populism in contemporary America,Donald Trump managed to grasp the long-ignored demands and dissatisfaction of “the people”,and attracted the electorates of the swing states of the “rust belt”,which directly contributed to his victory in 2016.Since Donald Trump came into power,a series of “chaos” appeared in America,and American politics and society seemed to be stuck in a dilemma.By analyzing Trump's formation of cabinet,the already published domestic and foreign policies,this thesis holds that “Trump Phenomenon” and “Trumpism” have exerted some controversial influences on American politics,bringing especial disturbance both in American society and American politics.While “Trumpism” as the theory of governing a state of Trump administration appears in domestic policies with a clear anti-Obama tendency,it advocates the principle of “America First” in foreign policies.Along with the analysis of the 2018 midterm election results,this thesis explores the possible future development of American politics in Trump's remaining term and the prospects of the 2020 presidential election,concluding that America is now entering a period full of political uncertainties with party reorganization and ideological changes.