Thomas B. Edsall argues President Trump's narcissism and corruption have deeply affected America's racial dynamics. Trump has halted conservative whites' slow accommodation to a multiracial nation and legitimized toxic racial and immigration attitudes among Republican voters.

This has transformed the party of Abraham Lincoln into a base of racial resentment and xenophobia. Studies show Trump supporters increased prejudice toward Muslims, immigrants, and African Americans during his presidency. Conversely, non-Trump voters, including Democrats and some Republicans, remained stable or decreased in their expressed prejudice.

Research by University of Kent and Yale professors Benjamin C. Ruisch and Melissa J. Ferguson tracked 1,000 participants before and after the 2016 election, finding significant shifts.

Ashley Jardina and Trent Ollerenshaw's 2025 paper notes Trump's campaign rhetoric was 'littered with overtly xenophobic and racist statements,' a strategy that was 'profoundly consequential.'.