ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 centers on the institution of the US presidency and Donald Trump, arguably the most prominent case of populism in the contemporary political landscape, to explore the relationship between populism and the US presidential office. Lowndes first examines how the presidency creates opportunities for populism but also constrains it. It looks at how Trump’s relationship to populism operates through his identification with the ur-figure of US populism, Andrew Jackson. It then turns to contemporary discussions of populism and “norm erosion” in the age of Trump. Finally, the chapter examines the generic populist politics of the permanent campaign, the relationship of right-wing populism to the Republican Party, and the dynamic between Trump and social movements on the streets.
