Donald Trump’s presidency challenges the basic norms and values of the American experiment in democratic governance. Trump is devoid of political experience, lacks an understanding of policy, government, or international affairs, is angry, vengeful, and unpredictable, and has been accused of emotional instability with a fixation on one-man rule. How to explain such a presidency? Arthur Paulson takes on the task. He places Trump within the arc of the nation’s political development. The results are extraordinary. A must-read for students, academicians, and those concerned with the future of American politics. Excellent!