| Trump’s incredible shrinking tent |
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| Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios |
| Donald Trump is torching the coalition that made him president, seemingly oblivious to the depth of discontent permeating his movement, Axios’ Zachary Basu writes. Why it matters: Trump won back the White House with the most eclectic alliance in modern politics — a blend of MAGA diehards, crypto evangelists, nonwhite men, podcast bros, anti-war populists and culture-war Christians. What Republicans celebrated as a once-in-a-generation coalition may turn out to be exactly that, never to be reassembled. Zoom in: Over the past two weeks, Trump has tested the loyalty of MAGA’s Christian base with a series of extraordinary provocations. It began on Easter, when Trump threatened to bomb Iran’s power plants and bridges in a profanity-laced Truth Social post, and signed off with “Praise be to Allah.” Two days later, he warned Iran that “a whole civilization will die tonight” — appalling some of his closest former allies, including Tucker Carlson, Alex Jones and Candace Owens. On Sunday night, Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV — the first American-born pope — as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy,” furious that Leo had condemned his threats against the people of Iran. Within the hour, Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself as a Christ-like figure — healing a bedridden man, flanked by bald eagles and the American flag. The image drew rare condemnation from MAGA loyalists, including allegations of blasphemy and even demonic possession. Trump deleted the post yesterday morning, telling reporters: “It’s supposed to be me as a doctor, making people better. And I do make people better. “Between the lines: Catholics, who make up roughly a fifth of the U.S. population, are America’s most powerful swing religious bloc. Trump’s attacks on the pope — who is far more popular than he is — could prove self-destructive in the midterms. President Trump hands “DoorDash Grandma” — Sharon Simmons of Arkansas — a $100 bill after she delivered a McDonald’s order to the Oval Office yesterday to promote his “no tax on tips.” Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Zoom out: Trump’s war on his own coalition extends far beyond the pews. MAGA media: Trump has lashed out at the most powerful voices in the “America First” ecosystem, disavowing erstwhile allies for their criticism of his Iran war. The fallout is forcing influencers who’ve spent years in lockstep to publicly pick sides. Podcast populists: Trump’s 2024 campaign attracted a generation of young, nontraditional Republican voters who’d never pulled a lever for the party before. The Iran war, the Epstein files and suspicious trading activity tied to Trump announcements have shattered their fleeting trust in politicians. Crypto enthusiasts: Trump ran as the “crypto president,” and the industry poured millions into his campaign. A cascade of controversies — including crashing prices and new allegations of self-dealing — has left true believers questioning whether they were ever anything more than marks. Nonwhite voters: Trump made historic inroads with Latino and Black men in 2024 on the strength of his economic message. Deep pessimism about the U.S. economy has rapidly unraveled those gains.Share this story. |
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President Trump hands “DoorDash Grandma” —