Republican strategist describes GOP's Trump 'paradox'


Regardless of whether President Trump leaves office after a November election defeat or sticks in the White House for another four years, there's already questions among Republicans about the direction of the party in the post-Trump era, The New York Times reports.
Trump is the most significant player in American politics currently, and his presence in the Oval Office is a major, if not singular, factor in the national discourse, but Liam Donovan, a Republican strategist, told the Times he doesn't think there's really all that much to show for his takeover of the party. "You end up with this weird paradox where [Trump] stands to haunt the GOP for many years to come, but on the substance it's like he was never even there," Donovan said.
The Times compared Trump's tenure in office to that of former President Ronald Reagan. Reagan, per the Times, merged the Republican Party with "a conservative movement that had been gestating since the 1950s," and by the end of his first term, "there was not much ambiguity about what the GOP ... was transforming into." Trump, on the other hand, has similarly "co-opted virtually every power center" in the party and "disassembled much of the old order," but "has built very little in its place," therefore leaving both his ardent loyalists and uneasy supporters unsure of what comes next. Read more at The New York Times.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Taking the low road: why the SNP is still standing strong
Talking Point Party is on track for a fifth consecutive victory in May’s Holyrood election, despite controversies and plummeting support
-
Has the Gaza deal saved Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question With elections looming, Israel’s longest serving PM will ‘try to carry out political alchemy, converting the deal into political gold’
-
French finances: what’s behind country’s debt problem?
The Explainer Political paralysis has led to higher borrowing costs and blocked urgent deficit-reducing reforms to social protection
-
Israel, Hamas agree to first step of Trump peace plan
Speed Read Israel’s military pulls back in Gaza amid prisoner exchange
-
Israel intercepts 2nd Gaza aid flotilla in a week
Speed Read The Israeli military intercepted a flotilla of nine boats with 145 activists aboard along with medical and food aid
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime minister
Speed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
Israel and Hamas meet on hostages, Trump’s plan
Speed Read Hamas accepted the general terms of Trump’s 20-point plan, including the release of all remaining hostages
-
US tipped to help Kyiv strike Russian energy sites
Speed Read Trump has approved providing Ukraine with intelligence for missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure
-
Netanyahu agrees to Trump’s new Gaza peace plan
Speed Read At President Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they agreed upon a plan to end Israel’s war in Gaza
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of Taiwan
In the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Moldova gives decisive win to pro-EU party
Speed Read The country is now on track to join the European Union within five years