Historians Niall Ferguson and David M. Kennedy come together for a provocative examination of the Trump presidency through the long lens of the American experience. At a moment of consequential change, is the United States entering genuinely new territory, or are forces that have shaped the nation before reemerging in new forms?

Ferguson will open with a dynamic journey through American history, placing the Trump presidency alongside earlier turning points involving presidential power, political realignment, economic nationalism, and America’s role in the world. Kennedy will then join Ferguson to analyze those comparisons, explore where the parallels break down, and consider what history can, and cannot, tell us about the America of today.

As America begins its next 250 years, two of Hoover’s leading historians ask what the first 250 can teach us about the moment we are in and what may come next.

The Trump Presidency: A 250-Year Perspective

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Redrawing The Rules? Mid-Decade Redistricting And The Future Of Elections
The Hoover Institution's Center for Revitalizing American Institutions invites you to attend Redrawing the Rules? Mid-Decade Redistricting and the…
Monday, October 12, 2026
Reclaiming Liberal Education in America
Reclaiming Liberal Education In America
The Center for Revitalizing American Institutions invites you to Reclaiming Liberal Education in America, a book talk with the author Peter Berkowitz…
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Ideas Uncorked | China After Communism: Preparing for What Comes Next
Ideas Uncorked | China After Communism: Preparing for What Comes Next
The Hoover Institution in DC hosts Ideas Uncorked: China After Communism: Preparing For What Comes Next on Wednesday, October 14 from 5:00-6:30 pm ET… Hoover Institution in DC
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