Majority Nationalism and the Trump Administration: Implications for Puerto Rico and Latinos.

This article analyzes how the Trump administration’s embrace of ethnic majority nationalism—centered on white identity and anti-Latino sentiment—shaped its policies toward Puerto Rico and Latino communities in the United States. It highlights the federal government's slower, smaller, and more conditional response to Hurricane María in Puerto Rico compared to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in Texas and Florida, attributing this disparity to racialized exclusion rather than logistical challenges. The article situates Puerto Rico’s ambiguous political status as a U.S. unincorporated territory with U.S. citizens who largely identify as a distinct nation, noting that the Trump administration’s rhetoric framed Puerto Ricans as burdens and justified discriminatory policies. It concludes that this ethnic majority nationalism, now embedded in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, poses ongoing threats to inclusive democratic governance and Latino belonging in the United States.