During a notable moment in the January 2016 Republican primary debate, Senator Ted Cruz challenged Donald Trump’s conservative credentials by remarking that Manhattan rarely produces genuine conservatives.
Trump swiftly countered by citing William F. Buckley Jr. as an example of a conservative from Manhattan, invoking the legacy of the influential author, columnist, and political commentator who worked extensively in the city.
William F. Buckley Jr., who passed away in 2008 at the age of 82, was widely regarded as the intellectual force behind the modern conservative movement. His patrician style, refined wit, passion for classical music, and eloquent prose defined conservatism for over half a century.
Yet, the comparison between Trump and Buckley is complicated. Buckley’s polished demeanor, love of Bach, and commitment to free-market principles, limited government, and assertive foreign policy stand in contrast to Trump’s populist approach, favoring tariffs, defending entitlement programs, and adopting isolationist stances.
In early 2016, National Review—the political magazine Buckley founded in 1955—published a special edition opposing Trump’s candidacy. The issue featured conservatives across ideological lines criticizing Trump as a political opportunist lacking firm philosophical grounding, whose populist style threatened established GOP conservatism.
Since then, resistance within conservative circles has largely faded. Trump has consolidated control over the Republican Party, earning the allegiance of its policymakers and influential right-wing media, ultimately shaping the party’s agenda and direction.
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