This book analyzes Donald Trump's three electoral campaigns - 2016, 2020, and 2024 - and exposes the hidden networks of power that shape modern campaigns and politics. The author maps the influence of financial oligarchs, deep state agencies, tech moguls, and celebrity elites, revealing how populist narratives intersect with corporate lobbying, military and intelligence continuity, and fragmented mass media.

Blending cultural and structural perspectives, the book explains how Trump, often seen as an "outsider," was able to simultaneously serve entrenched interests. Each chapter examines critical turning points, from early endorsements and mainstream coverage to digital echo chambers, polling failures, and escalating conspiracy theories, culminating in Trump's victory in 2024.

The book concludes with an assessment of democracy's resilience in an age of misinformation, economic inequality, and strategic realignment. It will appeal to scholars, students, and researchers in political science and related fields, as well as policymakers and the general public interested in better understanding the shifting power structures that underpin American democracy.

Lisheng Dong is a Professor of Political Science. He holds a Ph.D. in Political and Social Sciences from the University of Antwerp, Belgium. In 2012, he received the Pierre de Celle Award for the best paper from the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration. Since 2015, he has been Chair Professor and Visiting Professor at the Universities of Glasgow (UK), Tartu (Estonia), and Zurich (Switzerland). He is also a former Dean and Professor at the Department of Government and Public Policy, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Lisheng Dong has published 21 academic books and 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and contributed chapters to 23 books.