3 days ago I suggested Trump's ploy was dangerous, irresponsible & would "legitimise loonies". In National Populism, we argued that Trump was closer to a distinct American populism than fascism. Today, I think it is obvious he is closer to the fascists than populists 1/3 https://twitter.com/GoodwinMJ/status/1345745376909930498

I shared this 3 yrs ago, published in 2017 by prof Sheri Berman on Vox, who also argued Trump was closer to an illiberal populism than fascism on 4 criteria, incl. not being overtly anti-democratic & eschewing violence. Neither of those are now true 2/3 https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2017/1/3/14154300/fascist-populist-trump-democracy

3/3 Illiberal populists "backslide" into a gradual erosion of democratic norms; fascists go further by tearing down the entire democratic system through revolutionary & violent uprisings. Trump has not (yet?) caused the latter but he has most definitely now set the stage for it