Donald Trump. Press Association/Ron Sachs. All rights reserved. Donald Trump’s inaugural address stunned Washington elites. The New York Times, Washington Post and others commented on its unbridled populism, its accusatory tone. The Post’s antiquated conservative, George Will, scorned it as: “the most dreadful inaugural address in history.” Although Trump carefully read it off teleprompters, it was barely a step above his stump speech. Yet it deserves attention for it reveals how Trump’s right-wing populism distorts America’s populist tradition. The differences are clear in each element of Trump’s story.
Who done it?
Trump begins with an indictment of the “Washington establishment:”
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished — but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered — but the jobs left, and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs…”
