Robber Barons 2.0: Trump, Musk, and America’s New Gilded Age

What if Donald Trump’s strange fixation on William McKinley isn’t just historical trivia, but the key to understanding what happens next? On this WhoWhatWhy podcast, long-time journalist and author Chris Lehmann argues we’re not necessarily headed for authoritarian collapse — we’re rewinding to the Gilded Age. How might McKinley’s transformation from economic nationalist to global imperialist more than a century ago foreshadow Trump’s second term? Lehmann explores the forces that shaped McKinley’s presidency and how similar dynamics are at play today, from the influence of wealthy backers to the quest for historical legacy.