AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Edward Stourton, a prominent British journalist and broadcaster, in his new book titled "Made in America: The Dark History That Led to Donald Trump" (Penguin Random House, New York, 2026), makes a serious attempt to explain the roots of the rise of right-wing populism in America. In this work, he seeks to challenge the prevalent narrative among liberal American elites that the Trump phenomenon is exceptional or abnormal.
According to a report by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, this book is a research journey into the history of the United States—a history which, in the author's belief, has been shaped by identity politics, imperialist expansionism, religious bigotry, and authoritarian security tendencies. Stourton believes Trump is not a deviation from American values but the most honest embodiment of America's dark side.
The author of "Made in America" writes that Trump is not an exceptional phenomenon but rather a mirror of a country that has historically colonized, carried out ethnic cleansing, and repeatedly distorted the spirit of its constitution.
Stourton, born in 1957 and active in radio and television media for over four decades, identifies six main characteristics of Trump's policies in this book and provides historical examples from America's past for each, demonstrating that these behaviors have deep roots in the country's political tradition.
Expansionism: An Old Legacy in American Politics
The first characteristic examined in the book is expansionist and imperialist tendencies. In the author's view, Trump's statements about making Canada the 51st state or reviving the idea of buying Greenland are not new.
Stourton recalls that the current United States was formed through a series of land deals and conquests that, in many cases, ignored the rights of indigenous peoples. This expansionism was justified under the banner of "Manifest Destiny," a concept presenting America as having a divine mission to expand its territory.
The author refers to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, when Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, bought this vast territory from France, while a large part of these lands was inhabited by native tribes and France was not their true owner.
The Mexican-American War between 1846 and 1848 is another example of this process, a war that ultimately forced Mexico to cede nearly half of its territory, including California and Texas, to the United States for $15 million.
From "City Upon a Hill" to "America First"
The second axis of the book addresses religious bigotry and its role in shaping American political identity.
Stourton draws a connection between the famous statement of John Winthrop, the Puritan leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630—that "we shall be as a city upon a hill; the eyes of all people are upon us"—and the "America First" slogan that Trump and the MAGA movement emphasize.
He raises the question of how conservative evangelical Christians, who see themselves as defenders of moral values, can support a politician who has faced allegations of corruption, lying, and sexual misconduct.
His answer is that Winthrop's ideal society was not very tolerant either; rather, it was based on the elimination and suppression of religious dissenters. In that era, ideological dissidents faced punishments such as whipping, banishment, or even execution.
In the author's view, the supremacist spirit seen today in some segments of American evangelicalism is an extension of the same attitude that led to the elimination of dissidents in the 17th century.
Immigration, Nationalism, and the Reproduction of Old Policies
Stourton identifies the third historical similarity in Trump's anti-immigration policies.
In his view, building the border wall with Mexico, immigration restrictions, and the policy of separating immigrant families are essentially a recreation of the Alien Acts passed by John Adams, the second U.S. president, in 1798.
These laws authorized the president to detain or deport any foreigner deemed a threat to public security and peace. Also, critical journalists could be imprisoned for sedition.
These laws were later repealed due to their clear conflict with the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and the press.
Disregard for the Judiciary
The fourth characteristic examined is Trump's relationship with judicial institutions.
Stourton believes Trump's disregard for certain court rulings and his constant attacks on judges who issue decisions against his wishes have a long history in America.
In this regard, he points to Andrew Jackson, the seventh U.S. president, who ignored the Supreme Court's ruling in Worcester v. Georgia (1832). This ruling recognized the Cherokee tribe's sovereignty over their lands.
Jackson reportedly said in response, "Chief Justice John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it."
Afterward, his government forced tens of thousands of Native Americans to relocate in what became known as the "Trail of Tears," in which thousands died.
The Tariff War: A Return to 19th-Century Policies
The fifth axis of the book is devoted to Trump's economic policies.
Stourton says the heavy tariffs Trump imposed on steel imports, Chinese goods, and products from other countries closely resemble the policies of William McKinley, a president in the late 19th century who earned the nickname "the Napoleon of Protectionism" for his strong support of customs tariffs
According to the author, McKinley's economic protectionism was not merely an economic policy but was coupled with a slogan of defending white workers against foreign competition—a slogan Stourton finds very close to Trump's political rhetoric.
Enmity Towards the Media: From McCarthy to Trump
The last historical similarity highlighted in the book is the hostile treatment of the media.
Stourton believes Trump, who has repeatedly called critical media the "enemy of the people," is actually continuing a tradition represented in the 1950s by Senator Joseph McCarthy.
McCarthy, during the Cold War, used his position on congressional investigative committees to accuse opponents and create an atmosphere of fear and terror, turning the media into a tool for spreading fear of internal enemies.
In the author's view, Trump's repeated attacks on independent media under the guise of protecting national security reflect the same historical pattern.
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