For over half a century, the United States engaged in confrontation with the Eastern Bloc and the Soviet Union’s communist allies, from China and Vietnam to Cuba and North Korea, pursuing an aggressive policy that included coups, sanctions, and sometimes military occupation. However, with the resurgence of extreme nationalism in the United States—manifesting in support for the far right in Europe and prioritizing the American “blood and soil” myth, especially under Donald Trump—the question arises: Is the world returning to a period similar to the 1930s?
Trump’s emphasis on the centrality of “blood and soil” in his extremist nationalism, combined with his expansionist tendencies, evokes the early days of fascism and Nazism in Europe. The most pressing question is whether we are approaching Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence in the form of a return to fascism.
During his first presidency, Donald Trump sought to severely restrict US immigration policies—a stance that appears likely to intensify in a second term. One of the ideas discussed among his advisors has been shifting the basis of US citizenship from jus soli (right of the soil) to jus sanguinis (right of blood). This shift would introduce a new form of nationalism based on ancestry and race, reminiscent of the fascist ideologies of the early 20th century.
Trump’s immigration policies—including banning citizens from certain Muslim-majority countries and efforts to deport millions of immigrants—demonstrated a move toward isolationist and chauvinistic nationalism. These policies were primarily aimed at altering the demographic and social composition of the United States to favor conservative groups and traditional white populations.
One of the concepts linking Trump’s foreign policy to darker historical periods is Lebensraum (living space). In Nazi Germany, this concept was used to justify expansionism and aggressive wars. Trump’s first-term policies—stepping back from traditional US allies, applying economic pressure on China and Iran, and ratcheting up sanctions against independent states—can all be analyzed as part of an effort to consolidate US economic dominance and curb global rivals, a strategy likely to escalate in his second term.
Trump has repeatedly declared that the U.S. “should not fund the world for free,” which led to increased pressure on NATO and European allies. His withdrawal from international agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord, the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA), and the World Health Organization signaled a strategic retreat aimed at redefining America’s position in the world. However, this retreat has not been entirely passive; rather, it is a strategy to reshape the global order in Washington’s favor through economic pressure and nationalist economic policies.
Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland, as well as his efforts to rename international waterways—such as attempting to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the “American Gulf”—reflect this belief in global conquest. Meanwhile, a significant effort has been made to standardize global discourse around far-right Trumpist extremism, evident in Elon Musk’s Nazi salute meme and his efforts to empower the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany) in Germany.
The 1930s were marked by a global economic crisis, the rise of populist leaders, extreme nationalism, and declining international cooperation, all of which laid the groundwork for World War II. During Trump’s tenure, we have witnessed—and will continue to see—an increase in trade wars, the weakening of international institutions, and the resurgence of protectionist policies.
Although key differences exist between these two periods, notably the role of technology and greater economic interdependence, there are ideological and policy-driven similarities that reflect a recurring pattern of crisis and nationalist responses. The combination of economic nationalism, xenophobia, and power consolidation through rigid policies creates conditions that set the stage for new global conflicts.
The world never fully moved on from Trump’s first-term policies. While Joe Biden attempted to reverse many of Trump’s moves during his four-year presidency, Trump’s nationalist rhetoric remained deeply embedded in US domestic and foreign policy. This was largely because the general tendency toward extreme conservatism and nationalist chauvinism remained alive and well in parts of US society.
In this context, Trump’s return to the White House and the resurgence of similar nationalist and expansionist policies is likely to destabilize global geopolitics. While a full return to the 1930s may seem unlikely, history is not always a linear progression—it sometimes regresses and repeats itself in new forms. The fundamental question remains: Can the U.S. and the world learn from past mistakes, or will history, with a new face, repeat itself once again?
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