American voters are fed up with establishment politicians in the Democrat and Republican parties, and see Donald Trump as leader of a "virtuous movement" against "patronage and corruption," presidential historian Craig Shirley tells
Newsmax TV.
In an interview Wednesday with "The Hard Line" host Ed Berliner, the author of
"Last Act: The Final Years and Emerging Legacy of Ronald Reagan," says the GOP presumptive nominee is viewed as "the candidate of change and Hillary [Clinton] is the candidate of the status quo – and right now this country wants change."
"There's an interesting dynamic … being played out in this election …between the republic, which we've had for 230 years, and the oligarchy, which has emerged since the New Deal, which Hillary Clinton represents," he said.
"An oligarchy to maintain power must use patronage and corruption to stay in power. And that's kind of the modern Democratic Party and the modern new, the big government Republican Party," he added.
Trump, he says, "whether or not you would agree that he is a virtuous man is nonetheless leading a virtuous movement of Judeo-Christian Republican anti-corruption ethics against Hillary Clinton's oligarchy."
Watch Newsmax TV on
DirecTV Ch. 349, DISH Ch. 223 and
Verizon FiOS Ch. 115. Get Newsmax TV on your cable system —
Click Here Now
Shirley said the November election will be "one for the books" – and could be affected by third-party candidates.
"This is the most fickle electorate I've ever seen [and one] that third party candidates could have a direct bearing on the outcome," he said.
"This is going to be one for the books. We've never seen it before in the history of the republic."
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.