by Dan Burns

Oct 21, 2025, 7:00 AM

What really makes Trump’s diehards tick?

So, how can anyone still be loving Trump, with the viciously disastrous mess he’s making? Here’s my take on the fundamental causes of hard-core MAGA-ism. Note that I’m talking about Trump cult fundamentalists here, not everyone who voted for him.

– Always looking for others to blame that life hasn’t turned out to be all that great. “The libs,” minorities, LGBTQIA’s, immigrants, feminists, etc. etc. Trump himself is a pathological example of that. And emotionally it does beat the hell out of taking a good, hard, honest look in the mirror now and then.

– Just believing what they want to believe, what “pushes the right buttons” psychologically, regardless of facts and reason. Of course it’s not just MAGA that does that; I’d argue that everyone does to some extent, and I don’t deny that that includes myself. But Trump’s fanatics, and right-wingers in general, take it about as far as it can go, at least when it comes to their politics and worldviews.

– Racism and misogyny. That’s not true of all of them, but it clearly is a major factor. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that Democrats ran a woman of color for president, and I hope that we continue to not just reflexively run white males for that job. But there’s still just a little too much racial and sexual bigotry out there for Harris to have won, and I think that’s the number one reason that that didn’t happen.

– General frustration that life hasn’t delivered what they hoped for, and that they’ve been cheated out of what they deserve. Trump takes all that and ups the gain and bounces it right back at them, and it really gets them going.

– People are getting a kick out of the way that this crude, classless lout is entirely degrading the office of the presidency and, by extension, government in general. Said people being largely those who fancy themselves “rugged individualists,” but who in reality are often the most dependent on government, even for their very survival.

As staunch right-wingers the whole time the Trump cult fanatics have spent their lives being continually conned and manipulated into helping to screw themselves and (where applicable) their kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. Going back to a preceding paragraph, maybe they have been cheated, but it is partially their own fault. That’s just too distressing and painful for at least most of them to even begin to face, and I get that. Maybe if I’d been raised in a fervent right-wing household and community – especially one grounded in right-wing evangelical patriarchal authoritarianism – I’d be the same way. Though I certainly hope not, given the possibilities of life that that mindset shuts out.

Human thought and behavior are messy and complicated, and the relative strengths of the above, and perhaps of other factors, vary considerably among individual Trump fanatics. What they do share is that it’s pretty much impossible to get through to a big majority of them with effective reality checks. But not all of them, and that’s worth bearing in mind.

Comment from Joe Musich: Your list is terrific. I would add only one more item. The proliferation of news deserts. The Kimmel affair may have some effect but it will only be very temporary. I am not sure Disney would go back to Sinclair stations and threaten to pull their licenses if they did not put one of their shows back on the schedule.

Comment from Mac Hall: Did you see that a new Gallup poll finds 62% of Americans say the federal government has too much power?

Reagan’s adage appeals to the heart of the Trump supporter: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” Reagan didn’t add in the other part … “Give me your money because I need it more than you.”

As they see it, ya got a government that takes money out of your paycheck to interfere in your life.

That message will be vocalized by others besides Trump … “the Dems will take your guns” … “those lazy people on welfare just want everything for free” … “the EPA must be shut down” … “the federal government shouldn’t be telling a parent how to raise their kids” … “why are we giving money to PBS” … “why do we have foreign aid” … “America is NOT a WOKE nation” … “the government should not force me to get a vaccination” … etc.

Of course, farmers do not have any qualms when the drought hits and they get disaster assistance or price-support loans … or that vaccine is available free … and Medicare Advantage plans may offer free over-the-counter items and discounted food. They will take it all … and why wouldn’t they.

Add to that the fear-mongering associated with immigrants. I can’t tell you how many times my bride has told people she is an “anchor-baby” and spoke one language with her mother and another language with her father and they tell her “Oh, they are not talking about you. You’re college-educated and run a business … you’re okay.”

My bride will often ask me about somebody “Do you think they are a Trumper?” Most times my answer is “No …. they are a Reagan Republican who voted for Trump … they’re not crazy.”

Just my observations.