The 2024 U.S. presidential election has reignited discussions about the nature of populism and its impact on democratic institutions. Donald Trump's return to power after a controversial first term raises important questions about the resilience of American democracy and the appeal of what Yale historian Timothy Snyder terms ‘sado-populism’ and the ‘politics of eternity’ (Snyder, 2018). This article examines how these concepts manifest in Trump's rhetoric and policy proposals, with a particular focus on Project 2025, a comprehensive conservative policy blueprint for his second term