Donald Trump's populism is different from European Populism in an important way. The plans that Trump has been putting in place is populism for the billionaires who he recruited to his government. They will get richer while Trump supporters will be faced with the loss of government social welfare programs that will be come less affordable due to Trump's proposed tax cuts. This is pretty standard Republican orthodoxy with one exception. Trump has been a better salesman to the GOP base than his predecessors. TV populism has worked for him.
The populism promoted in Europe has actually been good for many of its citizens. Social welfare programs have not been one of the casualties. Democracy may be at risk to authoritarianism but European Populism is not primarily devoted to cutting taxes for the super rich.
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