If you don't have at least reservoirs of loyalty, across small communities, races,

creeds, all, you know, your side of the river, my side side of the river if you don't have that

extent you don't really have a nation Are you trying to understand the principles that guide American politics?

So are we. Welcome to the American Mind Podcast. I'm your host Ben Judge.

Nationalism. It's a word getting thrown around a lot these days. Some say the word is code for racism and xenophobia. Others say it's the natural expression of any nation's people.

What does nationalism mean and how does the concept apply to American politics today?

These are the questions at the heart of an essay in the winter issue of the Claremont review of books

titled Trumpism, Nationalism, and Conservatism. Its author is Chris DeMuth. He is a

distinguished fellow at the Hudson Institute. From 1986 to 2008, he was the president of the American Enterprise Institute.

His experience in government spans from working for Daniel Patrick Moynihan in the Nixon administration

to serving in the Reagan administration as the administrator for information and regulatory affairs,

or as most people knew him, the deregulations are.

In this interview, you'll hear about his move towards appreciating President Trump, as well

as a word of warning to conservative organizations dealing with Republican

Presidents.

But at the heart of our conversation is this question, are Trumpism, nationalism, and conservatism synonymous.

Chris DeMuth on the American mind.

All right, Chris, well, thanks for joining us.

Good to be here, Ben.

Thanks for having me.

So first sentence of your CRB essay, the 8,000 word, treatise.

Embless.

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