The Rise of the Imperial Presidency: Douglas Brinkley on How Executive Power Has Evolved from Washington to Trump
JUDJ-Prepared Summary from May 7, 2025 | The American Presidency: A Presidential Historian’s Perspective. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the speaker.
In a recent America at a Crossroads discussion, presidential historian Douglas Brinkley explored the rise of Donald Trump’s media-driven presidency and the enduring ideology of Trumpism. As a professor at Rice University and a prolific author on American political history, Brinkley offered insight into how Trump has fused celebrity, populism, and personal gain into a uniquely American brand of authoritarianism—and why its impact may long outlast the man himself.
Trumpism as Spectacle and Strategy
Brinkley framed Trump’s leadership style as deeply rooted in spectacle. Drawing inspiration from 19th-century populist Andrew Jackson, Trump fashioned himself as an anti-elite warrior, even while living as a billionaire businessman. Brinkley noted that Trump has turned the presidency into a form of reality television, using executive orders and inflammatory rhetoric as dramatic set pieces rather than policy tools.
Unlike past presidents who wielded executive power strategically, Trump embraced chaos as a tactic. His rapid signing of orders on “day one,” including a pardon for January 6 participants, was designed less to govern than to dominate headlines and fuel his base. “It’s a fantasy White House,” Brinkley said. “He’s just signing things and seeing what sticks.”
The Blurring of Office and Opportunity
A major theme of the interview was Trump’s open monetization of the presidency. Brinkley highlighted instances of personal profiteering, such as business deals in Qatar, meme coin launches, and plans to incorporate private ventures into public policy. “There’s no real firewall between Trump’s presidency and his brand,” Brinkley said. “It’s marketing, not governance.”
This blurring of public service and private gain is unprecedented in American history. While past presidents often gained wealth through post-office book deals or speaking engagements, Trump is using the presidency itself as a vehicle for enrichment—without regard for ethical boundaries or institutional norms.
A Cultural Rewriting in Real Time
Trump’s influence extends beyond politics into culture and memory. Brinkley warned that Trump and his allies are actively reshaping how American history is told—proposing revisions to institutions like the Smithsonian and encouraging a purge of academic and arts funding. “He’s drying up donor money and threatening entire cultural sectors,” Brinkley said.
This effort is more than symbolic. By targeting universities, nonprofits, and public broadcasting, Trump is laying the groundwork for an alternate national narrative—one that sidelines inconvenient truths in favor of a glorified, populist mythology.
Trumpism Without Trump?
While Trump’s personality is singular, Brinkley argued that the ideology behind him—Trumpism—is here to stay. Figures like J.D. Vance and Marco Rubio are positioning themselves as potential heirs, adopting his anti-institutional rhetoric while avoiding direct confrontation with him.
Brinkley suggested that the GOP has been remade in Trump’s image. “He’s blown up the old Republican Party,” he said. “There’s no movement to go back to Bushism or NAFTA-era conservatism.”
Even Trump’s critics in the business world, including segments of Wall Street and Silicon Valley, are beginning to push back—not out of moral concern, but due to the instability his policies bring. Nevertheless, the brand of politics he introduced—conspiratorial, authoritarian, and profit-driven—remains a powerful force.
A Call for Civic Grounding
Despite the challenges, Brinkley ended the conversation on a hopeful note. He encouraged viewers to remain engaged at the local level—whether through climate activism, public education, or cultural preservation. “We’ve weathered Red Scares and McCarthyism before,” he said. “We can do it again.”
In his view, resisting Trumpism requires more than outrage. It demands sustained, principled participation in democracy—grounded in facts, ethics, and a commitment to the public good.
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About America at a Crossroads
Since April 2020, America at a Crossroads has produced weekly virtual programs on topics related to the preservation of our democracy, voting rights, freedom of the press, and a wide array of civil rights, including abortion rights, free speech, and free press. America at a Crossroads is a project of Jews United for Democracy & Justice.