Let’s Measure the Far-Right Threat Seriously
Donald Trump’s second term could empower the organized far right much more than the first. Its current mobilizing strength suggests it’s far from ready to take over the state apparatus — but it does have opportunities to build a dangerous threat.
Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a campaign event at Saginaw Valley State University on October 3, 2024, in Saginaw, Michigan. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)
With Donald Trump now reelected with a majority in the House and Senate, we face two pressing questions: 1) Will Trump’s second term be more popular, more resilient, more authoritarian, and more right-wing than his first? and 2) Can the far right reverse the election results if Trumpists lose in 2028?
Both questions require an appraisal of where Trump and the far right stand compared to just before his first election. When he announced he was running in 2015, he had no relationship to the far right, or really any deep political relationship to any part of the population. The flimsy links that he does have didn’t develop very far these last nine years, despite a rising personality cult. This also limits his ability to truly reshape US politics.
The Far Right Lacks a Solid Class Project
Trump’s first term was an embarrassment for the far right and a victory for the center. He couldn’t even finish building the wall. Not just “the liberal establishment,” but the Republican Party prevented him from realizing his broader infrastructure push. The wall is simply not good for business: it is not only costly but could bring about a climate unfavorable to capital accumulation.
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