section_path: Political practice and rhetoric
section_name: Political practice and rhetoric
paragraph_text: Political practice and rhetoric
  
  Beginning with his 2016 campaign, Trump's politics and rhetoric led to the creation of a political movement known as Trumpism. His political positions are populist, more specifically described as right-wing populist. He helped bring far-right fringe ideas and organizations into the mainstream. Many of his actions and rhetoric have been described as authoritarian and contributing to democratic backsliding. Trump pushed for an expansion of presidential power under a maximalist interpretation of the unitary executive theory. His political base has been compared to a cult of personality.
  
  Trump's rhetoric and actions inflame anger and exacerbate distrust through an "us" versus "them" narrative. He explicitly and routinely disparages racial, religious, and ethnic minorities, and scholars consistently find that racial animus regarding blacks, immigrants, and Muslims are the best predictors of support for Trump. His rhetoric has been described as using fearmongering and demagogy, and he has said that he believes real power comes from fear. The alt-right movement coalesced around and supported his candidacy, due in part to its opposition to multiculturalism and immigration. He has a strong appeal to evangelical Christian voters and Christian nationalists, and his rallies take on the symbols, rhetoric, and agenda of Christian nationalism. Trump has also used anti-communist sentiment in his rhetoric, regularly calling his opponents " communists " and " Marxists ".