Is billionaire and Republican frontrunner Donald J. Trump a conservative, or not?

Fox News’ Jesse Watters has made the best possible case that he is.

“Come on, let’s talk about his conservative principles on the three core issues Donald Trump is about; immigration, national security and jobs. He is the most conservative guy out there and he is setting the agenda,” Watters said on Friday, responding to National Review‘s anti-Trump manifesto. He could have added a few others, like guns.

But that’s not quite convincing enough for many conservatives. Trump’s vehemence about his views should not, and does not, obscure the fact that they are, for the most part, very new.