The Republican Party: History, the populist shift, and current policy stances
The Republican Party, or GOP, remains the primary conservative force in U.S. politics, having shifted toward right-wing populism since the 2016 rise of Donald Trump.
The party’s current economic platform emphasizes Trump’s mercantilist approach, favoring import tariffs, low income taxes, and broad deregulation. Socially, the GOP advocates for abortion restrictions, supports gun ownership rights, and opposes transgender rights.
On immigration, the party maintains a hardline stance that includes restricting legal immigration and implementing aggressive crackdowns on illegal entries. Foreign policy has emerged as a point of internal friction; while the party remains united in its support for aid to Israel, members are currently divided over continued assistance for Ukraine.
Founded in 1854 by anti-slavery activists, the Republican Party has served as the chief rival to the Democratic Party since the mid-19th century. Under President Abraham Lincoln, the GOP led the successful effort to preserve the Union and abolish slavery during the Civil War.
The party underwent a significant transformation in the 20th century, particularly following the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when its core voter base shifted toward the Southern states.
The 1980 election of Ronald Reagan further redefined the party, consolidating a powerful coalition of free-market supporters, social conservatives, and foreign policy hawks.
Saigon Sentinel Analysis
The Republican Party has undergone a fundamental metamorphosis over the past decade, systematically dismantling the Reaganite pillars of free trade and internationalism in favor of Donald Trump’s brand of national populism. As of early 2026, the GOP is no longer defined by the conservative fusionism of William F. Buckley or the globalist optimism of Ronald Reagan, but rather by the policy priorities and rhetorical style of the Trump era.
The most seismic shift has occurred within the party's economic doctrine. The abandonment of multilateral trade agreements in favor of mercantilist tariffs represents a clean break from decades of GOP orthodoxy. This pivot has created a persistent internal friction, pitting the party’s traditional pro-business establishment against an ascendant populist wing.
This ideological rift extends to foreign policy. The ongoing debate over military aid to Ukraine and the push for a strategic pivot toward Russia highlight the deepening chasm between legacy defense hawks and an increasingly influential "America First" isolationist faction.
Policy analysts suggest these trends point toward a broader embrace of "illiberalism," a development that has taken center stage during the second Trump administration. Furthermore, the emergence of white nationalist sentiments among a significant portion of the base has become a focal point of concern for political observers. Heading into the mid-2020s, the Republican Party remains locked in an identity crisis, caught between its historical heritage and a volatile populist future.
Impact on Vietnamese Americans
Republican policies exert a complex, multi-dimensional influence on the Vietnamese-American community. On one hand, a hardline stance on undocumented immigration and the deportation of those without permanent legal status can hit close to home for families navigating precarious immigration hurdles. This includes ongoing concerns over the future of family reunification categories like the F2B visa or humanitarian protections such as TPS.
Conversely, the GOP’s commitment to tax cuts and deregulation holds significant appeal for the community's entrepreneurial spirit. From the phở restaurants that anchor Little Saigon to the widespread nail salon industry, small business owners often view these fiscal policies as essential for their livelihoods and their ability to continue sending remittances back to family in Vietnam.
Socially, conservative platforms regarding abortion and gun rights often resonate with older generations and the Vietnamese Protestant community. These varying perspectives illustrate that the Vietnamese-American diaspora is not a monolith. Instead, the community is increasingly divided by individual priorities, where the choice between economic opportunity, social traditionalism, and the stability of visa pathways—whether merit-based like the H-1B or investment-driven like the EB-5—remains a deeply personal calculation.