Axios: Must Read “Trump’s incredible shrinking tent”

Trump’s incredible shrinking tent
 
Illustration of President Donald Trump in the form of a small tent with his tie serving as the tent's opening
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 figurehealing 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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About michelleclarke2015

Life event that changes all: Horse riding accident in Zimbabwe in 1993, a fractured skull et al including bipolar anxiety, chronic fatigue …. co-morbidities (Nietzche 'He who has the reason why can deal with any how' details my health history from 1993 to date). 17th 2017 August operation for breast cancer (no indications just an appointment came from BreastCheck through the Post). Trinity College Dublin Business Economics and Social Studies (but no degree) 1997-2003; UCD 1997/1998 night classes) essays, projects, writings. Trinity Horizon Programme 1997/98 (Centre for Women Studies Trinity College Dublin/St. Patrick's Foundation (Professor McKeon) EU Horizon funded: research study of 15 women (I was one of this group and it became the cornerstone of my journey to now 2017) over 9 mth period diagnosed with depression and their reintegration into society, with special emphasis on work, arts, further education; Notes from time at Trinity Horizon Project 1997/98; Articles written for Irishhealth.com 2003/2004; St Patricks Foundation monthly lecture notes for a specific period in time; Selection of Poetry including poems written by people I know; Quotations 1998-2017; other writings mainly with theme of social justice under the heading Citizen Journalism Ireland. Letters written to friends about life in Zimbabwe; Family history including Michael Comyn KC, my grandfather, my grandmother's family, the O'Donnellan ffrench Blake-Forsters; Moral wrong: An acrimonious divorce but the real injustice was the Catholic Church granting an annulment – you can read it and make your own judgment, I have mine. Topics I have written about include annual Brain Awareness week, Mashonaland Irish Associataion in Zimbabwe, Suicide (a life sentence to those left behind); Nostalgia: Tara Hill, Co. Meath.
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