The Atlantic

Trump’s Powerful Theory of Politics

The president has built his approach around a simple proposition: Republicans will always come home.
Source: Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

President Trump has a coherent theory about American politics that can be summed up in one sentence: Republicans will always come home. Despite the craziness coming from the Oval Office on a daily basis, the president’s decisions and rhetoric have been remarkably consistent, tuned to appeal to his supporters.

Until now, that strategy has worked relatively well—allowing him to retain much of his support, even as he has pushed the envelope rhetorically and with policy. Trump has survived a multitude of scandals and crises by holding the support of the congressional majority and much of the Republican electorate. And this weekend, a /NBC poll found that Trump’s approval ratings are up

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