It was difficult to define conservatism even before Donald Trump launched his presidential bid. But since he took his seat behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, longstanding irresolution and disagreement have degenerated into disarray and internecine conflict. If conservatives agree on anything now, it is that they face a practical, ideological, and moral dilemma.

For this, the first national issue of the Washington Examiner magazine, we invited nine prominent writers to answer the question: “What does it mean to be a conservative in the age of Trump?” Each contributor to this symposium regards himself or herself as a conservative, but a Venn diagram of their positions would show scant overlap and wide divergence.