"How the Republicans Threaten U.S. Democracy"

Descriptions of political opponents as “vermin” and migrants engaged in “poisoning the blood of our country” illustrate the extent to which Donald Trump’s rhetoric has further radicalized since he left the Oval Office. While the threat posed by the former – and potentially future – president attracts most attention, the role of the Republicans in damaging US demo-cracy is far more extensive and runs deeper. Today’s Republican Party can be described, Dr. Adorf argues, as a populist, profoundly illiberal and white nationalist movement whose reluc-tance to abide by democratic norms and conventions predates the Trump era and will affect the United States long term.