Jay and Justin spend the entirety of this midweek supporters' episode discussing the F word: fascism. It’s been explicitly applied to Donald Trump recently by not only Democrats but several of his former staffers as well. What is fascism? How does it differ from other forms of authoritarianism? Does Donald Trump tick enough boxes to be one?

While Trump exhibits some concerning authoritarian tendencies - like his admiration for strong leaders and inflammatory rhetoric about "corrupting the blood of America" - the reality is more nuanced than simple labels suggest.

Trump's isolationist views contradict traditional fascist expansionism, and his approach differs from historical European fascism's philosophical roots. Justin and Jay emphasize that while Trump may check some fascist boxes, applying the term requires careful consideration of historical context and specific characteristics.

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