Christopher Caldwell is a contributing editor at the Claremont Review of Books and a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute. He is best known for his incisive commentary on American politics, culture, and European affairs, as well as his critically acclaimed books, including "The Age of Entitlement."
“If that's your idea of life and death, if that's your idea of how much respect human life deserves, then the public kind of has to reassess its idea of where it can follow you in matters that involve life and death, including war.”
This quote provocatively links a leader's perceived disrespect for human life to a fundamental breach of trust, impacting their credibility on critical decisions like war.
Christopher Caldwell
“If I had to name the main impulse behind the AFD, it would be something that I've heard Donald Trump say a lot, which is, 'Can't we talk about the good part of our country too?'”
Offers a provocative insight into the underlying psychological appeal of certain populist rhetorics, linking national pride with a selective historical narrative.
Christopher Caldwell
“I really try not to be enchanted or disenchanted with any politician. It's not a good way to look at things if you have to write about it. I think there are certain really promising things that he did in terms of his own agenda where he seemed to be really delivering to those who voted for him and one is that whole series of executive orders that sort of took apart the DEI state.”
This quote combines a journalist's reflective stance on objectivity with a highly contentious claim about a significant policy impact of the Trump administration related to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Christopher Caldwell
“I think there's also the deep state. And this idea at the heart of Trupism, which sounds a little bit occult, but it's a set of informal powers that kind of wind up claiming governing prerogatives, and they sort of replace the literal democracy through which we like to believe we're led, you know, the one man, one vote.”
This defines a core tenet of Trumpism – the 'deep state' – as a challenge to literal democracy, offering a specific, controversial interpretation.
Christopher Caldwell
“A great deal of the preparation for the war was done by Trump's son-in-law and by one of Trump's close business associates. Both of which have a lot of business dealings in the Middle East and others that are at least potentially compromising such as with crypto.”
This highly controversial statement alleges that personal business interests influenced foreign policy decisions, highlighting critical ethical concerns and potential conflicts of interest at the highest levels of government.
Christopher Caldwell
“One is that whole series of executive orders that sort of took apart the DEI state.”
This quote points to specific, highly controversial policy actions aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Christopher Caldwell
“This idea at the heart of Trumpism, which sounds a little bit occult, but it's a set of informal powers that wind up claiming governing prerogatives, and they sort of replace the literal democracy through which we like to believe we're led. You have the growing influence of elite universities, and the role of civil rights law in sort of circumscribing what people feel they can say and how they feel they can interact.”
This quote offers a controversial definition of the 'deep state' from a Trumpist perspective, linking it to the perceived overreach of elite institutions and civil rights law.
Christopher Caldwell
“I don't really see the principle on which the party is being held together. There doesn't seem to be a replacement for the economic theory that kept a lot of largely apolitical middle class people attached to the Republican party throughout the Reagan years. So I don't see the replacement ideology because I don't really see the replacement system quite yet.”
Argues that a major political party lacks a unifying ideology or economic theory, hinting at instability or transformation in the political landscape.
Christopher Caldwell
“In the last 20 years, we've had two presidents whose claim to the presidency was built very largely on their opposition to the Iraq war... For Trump, it was especially important, because as long as a president was committed to not going to war in a major way, there's a kind of a limit to how far you could expect him to take his program. And having gone to war now, the limit is sort of off.”
It argues that an anti-war stance can function as a critical political constraint on a leader's agenda, and its removal could allow for more extreme policies.
Christopher Caldwell
“Voters expected him to be a boss within constitutional limits.”
This offers a nuanced perspective on voter expectations, suggesting a desire for strong leadership while still respecting democratic boundaries.
Christopher Caldwell