Zooming In at The UnPopulist From Conservative Civic Nationalism to MAGA White Nationalism: A Conversation with Jason Wilson
Sep 28, 2025
In this engaging discussion, journalist Jason Wilson, who covered the National Conservatism conference for The Guardian, dives into the transformation of the MAGA movement from a Republican insurgency to a dominant force. He explains the ultra-nationalist shift highlighted at NatCon 5 and explores the coalition of Trump loyalists, ideologues, and Christian nationalists. Wilson also critiques the rhetoric of figures like Senator Schmitt while examining conspiratorial narratives shaping the policing landscape, revealing how race and authenticity intertwine in today's politics.
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Think Tanks Fuel Authoritarian Ideas
- The Claremont Institute and similar think tanks supply authoritarian intellectual cover for Trump-era policies.
- Wilson argues these institutions feed directly into the MAGA political project.
Institution Building Ensures Movement Longevity
- Douglas Wilson built networks: churches, schools, and a college that propagate Christian nationalist personnel.
- Wilson warns these institutional ties mean Christian nationalism will outlast Trump.
From Civic To Racialized Nationalism
- Conservatism has shifted from civic nationalism to an explicit ethnic-based white nationalism.
- Wilson reads Senator Schmitt's NatCon speech as advancing a tiered idea of who counts as a real American.