Edinburgh University Press Trump vs. Biden: Presidential Leadership and Legacy Rollback (New Perspectives on the American Presidency)

Explores the presidential legacy of Trump’s first term in the Biden era Discusses the domestic policy legacy of Trump’s first term, asking whether he was just a typical Republican or whether he represented something new Looks at how Trump rewrote the rules for acceptable presidential behaviour Asks whether Trump did effectively ‘put America first’ on the world stage Discusses how Biden struggled to put his imprint on the political environment, haunted by the continuing presence of the former president Argues that Trump’s 2024 victory and return to the White House means that his legacy will be a lasting one After four years of a presidency unbound, President Biden consciously moved to a calmer style of leadership. Yet, the political environment remained ferociously partisan and former President Trump continued to wield influence on the Republican Party. Against this backdrop, Trump vs Biden examines the durability of the Trump regime, focusing on the extent to which the political footprint of the forty-fifth president remains after his dramatic departure from office. Clodagh Harrington and Alex Waddan analyse meaningful priority shifts, policy changes and the imprint of presidential leadership, providing a framework for assessing Trump’s legacy. In turn, this provides context to the Biden administration’s efforts to reverse course and steer the US back to a more established form of politics and policy. Looking beyond the noise and hyperbole, the book also reflects on areas where Biden in fact reinforced elements of Trumpism. In an epilogue, the authors discuss the 2024 election and the opening six months of Trump’s 2nd term.