Straight White American Jesus The Sunday Interview: The New MAGA History: How Trump, JD Vance, and the Right Are Redefining What It Means to Be American
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Mar 8, 2026 Thomas Zimmer, historian and commentator on American memory, explains why he moved back to Germany. He explores how Trump, JD Vance, and others recast US history around ancestry and blood‑and‑soil nationalism. Short, sharp takes probe threats to scholars, the shift from civic to ethnic nationalism, and how that rewriting narrows who counts as American.
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Hosts Disclose Friendship And Shared Podcast History
- Annika and Thomas note they are friends and former colleagues and that this is their first English conversation, offering transparency about potential bias.
- Zimmer recounts camping in his basement during midterms and their shared German-language podcast background.
State Of The Union Echoed A Coordinated Ethnic Nationalism
- Zimmer argues Trump's State of the Union rhetoric matched a broader administration project to recast American history as ethnic heritage rather than a civic creed.
- He links similar lines from Senator Eric Schmitt and others to show coordinated messaging, not isolated ranting.
Right Wing Shift From Creed To Blood And Soil
- The current right-wing narrative shifts from creedal American exceptionalism to ancestry, heritage, and 'blood and soil' claims, explicitly rejecting the idea America is an idea.
- Zimmer highlights J.D. Vance and others promoting ancestry-based belonging over civic ideals.
