In the last ten years, populism has swept through political systems, toppling regimes and redefining political discourse. However, populism, in its essence, is fundamentally a principal discourse addressing the grievances of the majority against the interests of the elite and the rich, the so-called top dogs. For the West, Trump in the United States and Nigel Farage in the United Kingdom have become the populist leaders of the movement. Despite differences in style and context, they apply similar approaches and themes that are well-accepted by their supporters. This article focuses on how in their nations, the populist agenda advanced by Trump and Farage has contributed to the realignment of the political sky. Strikingly, both Trump and Farage began to garner attention through the use of nationalism. America was to ‘be great again’ was the angle Trump sought to use to restore the lost glory of the country. In the same vein, Farage’s ‘take back control’ during Brexit spoke directly to the sentiments of British people who wanted to distance themselves from the controls of the EU. In both situations, Donald Trump and Boris Faraget noted that Nationalism was a sense of togetherness for people who believed their countries were being assimilated into other cultures which negated their sovereignty. 

Globalization was another focal point for both Trump and Farage. For Trump, the "America First" policies embraced the idea of opt-outs from all international treaties and trade agreements that, in his opinion, put American workers at a disadvantage. In the same context, Farage viewed the EU as an organization that was focused more on its bureaucracies and elites rather than the British people. By casting themselves as champions of domestic production and employment, they tried to reach out to the communities that were affected by the globalization trend. What also unites Trump and Farage is their unorthodox style and language that is quite different from what is expected from a conventional politician. Trump’s election campaign turned to Twitter to circumvent the traditional media and reach out to his base on a more personal and at times, incendiary level. Farage, in contrast, turned to stirring rhetoric and the media to escalate the message. Both leaders were good at reducing complicated questions into appealing sound bites and clips, thus making their messages very clear and engaging at the emotional level. They succeeded with regard to the perceptions of their image as rebellious figures, putting up a fight against a corrupt system. When Trump became the president there was a radical change in how the American political system worked. His “America First” policies went on to redefine the Republican Party in terms of some key aspects like nationalism and protectionist policies as well as distrust towards traditional allies. History suggests during his presidency populism surged worldwide but at the same time, it propelled greater divisions in the United States. He remains controversial as always and the debates on his legacy to democracy and governance last long after he left the office. 

Farage's history is woven with Brexit, a cataclysmic event that forever changed the status of the United Kingdom in the European Union. Farage, initially as UKIP leader and later as the leader of the Brexit Party, showcased how politics dominated by one or a small few issues is capable of achieving miracles. Although he never officially got a high government position, he has made his mark on Britain’s political scene. Farage's political career backed up his beliefs that populism obtained through Brexit helped naturally progress the United Kingdom into a new era, both politically and economically, forever embedding Farage into history books. Nevertheless, they both had a populist facade, Trump and Farage were in completely different worlds. On Trump's side, he was the president of one of the most powerful nations and was exposed to a remarkable executive branch, the agenda he had could easily be translated into action on a global scale. For Farage it was different, most of the time he acted as a campaigner and European Parliament member focusing on people's emotions.