Come retribution: Revanchism, settler colonialism, and the geographical imagination of Donald Trump's America

This paper analyzes Donald Trump's political rhetoric and strategy through the lens of revanchism, settler colonialism, and racial capitalism. Focusing specifically on Trump's declared intent for retribution, it situates his discourse within a longstanding geographical imagination embedded in settler-colonial logics. The paper illustrates how this rhetoric intensifies existing social inequalities and fuels reactionary political movements that seek to reinforce traditional hierarchies of race, class, and gender, which are rooted in neoliberal restructuring. Drawing on historical and contemporary examples—from Confederate symbolism invoked by Trump's supporters to racialized conspiracies propagated during electoral campaigns—the paper's analysis calls for scholars and political actors to engage with the geographic imaginaries that sustain Trumpism. By illustrating the interconnections between settler colonialism, racial capitalism, and neoliberalism this research contributes to a broader understanding of the spatial dimensions of reactionary political movements, highlighting the necessity for confronting revanchist strategies and their implications for American democracy and society.