Politics

Radio Atlantic: The Heir

McKay Coppins on which Trump sibling could succeed the president—and why it matters

By Kevin Townsend
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Beginning with a gold-rush brothel in the Yukon, the Trump empire has long been passed down through generations. Donald Trump inherited a business from his father, who inherited it from his father.

Now following in those footsteps are Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Eric Trump—all brought into the family business, whatever that happened to be at the moment. When it was real estate, they worked at the Trump Organization. When it became television, they were in the cast of The Apprentice. And with politics the new family business, they’ve acted as key figures in Trump’s administration and campaign.

The question of which Trump will succeed their father is no longer just a family matter, though. Having remade the Republican Party in his image, the president has given his eventual successor a key role in shaping the future of American politics.

In his October cover story, McKay Coppins tells the story of how the next generation of Trumps has competed for power—and of how the move from Midtown Manhattan to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue may have established an unexpected front-runner.

Listen for:

  • Coppins and the host Edward-Isaac Dovere react to comments made over the weekend by Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, that “the Trumps will be a dynasty that lasts for decades.”

  • How the Trumps compare with past political dynasties such as the Kennedys and the Bushes. And just as George W. unexpectedly surpassed Jeb as the heir to the Bush political legacy, Coppins tells the story of another dark horse becoming the likely heir.

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