All posts tagged "maga"

'People don't care!' MAGA Republican repeatedly cut off on CNN

A CNN anchor repeatedly cut off a MAGA Republican as he kept repeating the same finger-pointing excuses about the government shutdown on Thursday, telling him, "People don't care!"

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) joined CNN anchor Brianna Keilar to discuss how Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are slated to be eliminated this weekend, as the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that nearly 8% of its total workforce has been furloughed during the shutdown.

Keilar cut off the veteran and former Army Ranger several times in the interview as he made claims blaming Democrats for the stalemate.

"This isn't a blue state or red state thing," Keilar said, cutting Davidson off.

"Can you gain this out for us? If we get to this weekend, open enrollment opens, right? And you have Americans starting to see the cost of their insurance premiums go up significantly without the [Affordable Care Act] subsidies that are expiring. And the Democrats are demanding be extended. That's kind of, you know, the hill they're dying on in this thing. Does that change the dynamic of this standoff as you see it?" Keilar asked.

"No, I mean, so let's be clear whose premiums are going up," Davidson said. "Everyone's subsidies that you're talking about are Obamacare subsidies from Covid that Democrats put on during Covid so that in the midst of a pandemic."

Then Keilar cut him off again.

"OK. But that doesn't — that's going to everyone's — I hear what you're saying, and I hear Republicans say that, congressman. But the fact is, people don't care," she said. "They look at the bottom line, they look at how much it costs them. They see a massive increase in their bottom line. That some argument about it being from Covid, while a great discussion for us to have, doesn't matter for someone, a Democrat or a Republican, right? They're going to see the cost increase. Does that increase the pressure?"

Apparently, it doesn't, Davidson said.

"It doesn't increase the pressure on me," he responded. "No Republicans ever voted for Obamacare. Obamacare for Democrats is working as it was designed to do. It was designed to administer a fatal overdose of government to America's health care economy. And it is. And it keeps failing. And the only way to keep it alive is to keep pumping more cash into it. And that raises the market price. The market price becomes the price plus the subsidies. And so everyone is feeling this pain. And it was by design that Obamacare did this. Republicans have said that all along. No Republican has ever voted for Obamacare. John McCain famously declined to get rid of it, but no Republican voted for these subsidies either. And even Democrats didn't have the votes to make them permanent when they put them in. So now they want Republicans to do what they fail to do. And by the way, this isn't the only thing that they're negotiating over. They say their whole 1.5 trillion package or nothing. So they want the whole thing."

Trump's latest meltdown reveals terror that he's going to outlive MAGA: analyst

An analyst has a theory about President Donald Trump's major worry — and asking "what are the chances that MAGA will outlive Trump?"

Trump is afraid the Supreme Court will take action to remove his retaliatory tariffs and challenge his economic moves, Salon columnist Heather Digby Parton writes Thursday.

"Besides the recent concerns he expressed about the state of his soul, he fears the Supreme Court will strip him of his tariff privileges," Digby Parton writes. "We know this because he had a temper tantrum upon hearing that Ontario had produced a television advertisement featuring President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs — a response that was revealing, both about his mindset and strategy, and about how MAGA has turned away from Reagan’s once-mythic legacy."

Trump had a strong reaction to the brutal advertisement that aired last weekend during the World Series. His response also highlights some of the shifts happening among MAGA — and what the future looks like, Digby Parton wrote.

"Many of the staunch Reaganites who once believed in free markets, small government, private enterprise, international institutions and the 'Pax Americana' guarantor of global security are now MAGA aficionados, enthusiastically endorsing every scheme Trump comes up with, from state capitalism to trade wars," Digby Parton writes.

"Unlike the movement Reagan represented, there’s no long term education project, no underlying ideology, no commitment to principles. One day the administration is full force America First isolationism, and the next finds itself blowing up boats full of civilians in international waters, with the president proclaiming 'to the victors go the spoils.'"

It's unclear what Trump's legacy might be, she adds.

"Does that erratic philosophy sound like something that can last? If the conservative movement that endured for decades can be stripped, virtually overnight, of everything but the ugly underbelly of crude racism and revanchist anger that fueled it, what are the chances that MAGA will outlive Trump?"

Evangelical churches are 'quiet quitting' Trump as flocks sickened by tactics: expert

Large numbers of evangelicals and Catholic churches are "quiet quitting" President Donald Trump and leaving MAGA — hoping to avoid isolating people who are still devotees but are distancing themselves from the president's aggressive immigration policies and remarks, Axios reported on Wednesday.

Some congregation members are stepping away from supporting Trump and pastors are attempting to pander to them, even steering clear of political sermons and messages, according to the report.

"We've gotten more testimonials. I'm starting to now see 'Leaving MAGA' signs popping up on billboards, overpasses, and [at] No Kings protests," Rich Logis, who founded a group called Leaving MAGA, told Axios.

Logis is a Catholic ex-Trump supporter and says the Leaving MAGA group has seen a rise in downloads for its manual guiding people on how to "gently urge family members to quit MAGA," he said. The group has also seen a rise in subscribers, with more than 35,000 in July — in part driven by the administration's reluctance to release the Epstein files, he said.

Prior to the election, when he was a MAGA follower, Logis admits that he believed "there was some divine intervention with Trump getting elected." He also viewed those who did not support Trump as "enemies."

Now, thousands of churches have also downloaded the support kit that describes how to confront Christian nationalism with advice on how to quietly walk away.

"We know that there's a lot of really quiet movements that are going on," said Doug Pagitt, pastor and executive director of the progressive Christian group Vote Common Good.

Many avoid publicly denouncing Trump and MAGA over fears of retaliation or harassment, especially online.

Mass deportations are leading many people to quietly walk away from following MAGA, said Dave Gibbons, the lead pastor of Newsong Church in Santa Ana, Calif. The multi-ethnic church calls itself "home of the misfits."

The quit-MAGA movement is growing ahead of the 2026 and 2028 elections.

"Democrats haven't shown many signs of going after persuadable evangelical voters," Axios reports. "But nationwide, several moderate Christians are expected to seek office as Democrats, putting distance between themselves and MAGA at a time when Trump and his allies are leaning into Christian nationalism."

'The man has lost it': Ex-CNN anchor says Trump's circle 'too scared' to face his decline

A former CNN anchor on Tuesday slammed President Donald Trump's inner circle, saying they are "too scared" to face his cognitive decline and that "the man has lost it."

On his podcast, former CNN anchor Don Lemon pointed to the 79-year-old president's "obvious" decline amid the country's current troubles and responded to the president's announcement Monday that he took a cognitive test at Walter Reed Medical Center, The Daily Beast reports. The test Trump referred to is a cognitive evaluation to screen for dementia called the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

"You ever look at someone and see that they ain’t all there, right?” Lemon said. “They ain’t all there anymore. But everybody around them is too scared to say it out loud. That’s where we are with Donald Trump.”

He also pointed to Trump's visit to Japan, where he rambled in a speech to U.S. Navy members, confusing how water works and saying that he doesn't like "good-looking people."

“The man brags about remembering five words and the crowd claps like seals,” Lemon said, adding, "the man has lost it."

Lemon compared Trump to an “uncle who gets a little too lit” at the family cookout after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had to lead the president around a room.

“Everybody around Trump knows what’s happening,” Lemon added. “They see the rambling. They see the confusion. They see the blank looks. He’s not who he was. All this concern about [Joe] Biden, what about Trump now? But instead of pulling him aside, they keep putting him out there. That’s not loyalty. That’s using somebody."

He called out the Republican Party for ignoring the obvious — and not telling Americans the truth.

“The Republican Party? They’re holding his hand through it," Lemon said. "They’re like the Japanese Prime Minister guiding him through. But they’re pretending that he’s sharp, pretending that he’s fit, because the truth scares them. So they’d rather lie to the country than admit that it’s over.”

Trump ally leading 'purge' of ICE agents as White House demands 'high-visibility' arrests

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's controversial chief adviser Corey Lewandowski is reportedly leading a "purge" on rival Immigration and Customs Enforcement leaders as the Trump administration demands more arrests and citing "lagging removal numbers."

For the first time ever, Border Patrol officials will step into ICE positions, moving to a more aggressive approach and removing five ICE field leaders from offices in Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego and Philadelphia, The Daily Beast reports.

Fox News reports that "tense" and "combative" infighting between ICE and Border Patrol has pitted the two groups against each other. Lewandowski, President Donald Trump's former campaign manager and Noem's rumored extramarital affair partner, has apparently compiled a list of at least a dozen field officers to be replaced by Border Patrol.

Noem, Lewandowski and Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino reportedly "want high-visibility sweeps to increase daily counts as they try to hit a ‘3,000-a-day’ deportations benchmark set by Donald Trump’s influential deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller."

Lewandowski is considered a DHS special government employee. He travels with Noem and works as her "gatekeeper," influencing strategy and personnel.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, referred to the unprecedented moment in a post on X late Monday:

"HUGE moment. ICE leadership is being purged tonight. The old guard, which prioritized targeted enforcement operations aimed at people with criminal records, is being replaced with Border Patrol and Greg Bovino's 'Midway Blitz' style.
Think things are bad now? It'll get worse."

MAGA men come up lacking on DC's conservative dating scene: 'Not as masculine as I hoped'

MAGA followers are reportedly struggling to find suitable matches in Washington, D.C., complaining that the conservative dating scene is not what they expected.

The challenge is tough for conservatives, who are often outnumbered by liberals in the city, according to a new report from the Washington Post Tuesday.

It starts with the numbers. In fact, 92.5 percent of Washington, D.C. voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Susan Trombetti, CEO of Exclusive Matchmaking, described dating in D.C. as “political polarization on steroids.”

Morgan Housley, 29, describes the disappointment after looking for a man in Washington, D.C. and how she hoped to find someone who "loved the Lord," enjoyed going to church on Sunday and could go running with her — but no one meeting those qualifications has materialized.

She wanted to find someone who can “provide and protect, emotionally, physically, spiritually, all of those things.”

“I felt like, being in conservative politics, there would be more, like, masculine men in the conservative movement,” Housley said, “and I find that a lot of them aren’t as masculine as I would have hoped.”

When she did meet someone at a conservative mixer — tall, blond and blue-eyed — her friends told her he wasn't really Christian. He apparently said that he grew up Catholic, but he wasn't actively attending church. So she moved along.

The Post asked whether she would consider dating any of the military men in fatigues patrolling the streets of D.C.

“Clearly, they’re taking care of their bodies, they’ve got masculine traits of leadership and protection. Definitely admire that,” Housley said. “Would not be opposed to dating or talking to a National Guard.”

A 27-year-old Republican staffer, who did not disclose her name because her employer does not allow her to speak to media organizations, said she would be open to dating someone with different political ideologies. But there is one limit.

“There’s a lot of talk around the word ‘fascism’ and people on the left calling people on the right ‘fascists’ and ‘Nazis,’” she said.

“I think if somebody genuinely thought that, they probably wouldn’t want to date me anyways, but like, that’s a red flag, because then you think that I’m that, which I’m not, whatsoever, and never will be. But I mean, my partner can’t think I’m a fascist. That’s crazy,” she added.

MAGA rages against 'neocon' Trump for betraying 'America First' agenda

When Donald Trump launched his 2016 presidential campaign, his "America First" views on foreign policy were greatly influenced by paleoconservative Patrick Buchanan and were a major departure from the hawkish conservativism of GOP Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. And Buchanan himself praised Trump in his columns for Antiwar.com, a paleoconservative site known for its scathing criticism of neocons.

But in recent weeks, some of Trump's MAGA allies have been questioning his foreign policy moves in South America — including a massive $20 billion bailout for Argentina and military strikes against Venezuelan boats that he claims are transporting illegal drugs bound for the United States.

"War Room" host Steve Bannon wondered if Trump is making Venezuela a "breeding ground for neocon 3.0," and the New York Times quoted MAGA conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer as saying, "There’s supposed to be incentives for ending wars and conflicts around the world. Yet, here we have this conflict with Venezuela that is only going to escalate."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) recently told Axios, "It's a revolving door at the White House of foreign leaders, when Americans are, you know, screaming from their lungs. If me saying those things are considered breaking with my party, then what is the Republican Party? I thought we were America First?"

In an article published on October 24, NOTUS reporters Jasmine Wright and Violet Jira emphasize that Trump is prioritizing foreign policy while the United States' federal government remains partially shut down "with no sign of resolution."

Wright and Jira report, "The president's weeklong trip (to Asia) is focused on trade deals and peace deals, the White House says. It comes during a foreign-policy-heavy swing for the president — one that some in his political movement are calling out as a departure from MAGA's 'America First' mantra."

A Trump White House official, interviewed on condition of anonymity, told NOTUS that the "Trump doctrine" and "America First" don't mean "isolationism."

"What exactly the Trump doctrine is appears to be more elusive," Wright and Jira explain. "NOTUS asked more than a dozen Republican lawmakers, current and former administration officials and experts how they would characterize Trump's foreign policy program. Few were able to pin it down, though some expressed skepticism about its direction."

A Trump ally, quoted anonymously, told NOTUS, "I think the only misalignment that anyone would really point to is Argentina. A lot of people have faith in the president. So I don't think that Argentina is a deal-breaker for anyone. I think that people are frustrated by it."

MAGA Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) told NOTUS, "There’s some things I like. There’s some things I’m less enthused about. But, you know, let’s see where he gets to his issues. I've never been a big fan of bailouts. I will tell you what I'd like to do when it comes to payments to people. I'd like to start with American farmers. I think that farmers in my state and probably around the country, who are being retaliated against by our erstwhile trading partners, could use some support."

Read the full NOTUS article at this link.

'How do you like my tweets?': Trump gets surprising warning from MAGA lawmaker

A MAGA lawmaker gave President Donald Trump a surprising warning after the president asked him "how do you like my tweets?"

Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) told Trump he might want to relax on the social media posts and attacks on anyone who criticizes him or the Trump administration, The Daily Beast reports Wednesday.

“He asked me, ‘How do you like my tweets?’” Sen. Kennedy said on the Pod Force One podcast with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine Wednesday.

“I said, ‘Mr. President, don’t take this the wrong way, but tweeting a little less would not cause brain damage,'" Kennedy said.

Kennedy said that the American people would like it if he cooled down on the posts — and that it appears Trump seemed OK with the critique — but that it probably did not sway him to relax on the posts. It's unclear when the exchange happened.

“He looked at me, said, ‘You don’t like my tweets.’ I said, ‘No, I didn’t say that.’ I said, ‘I like steak, but I don’t like eight steaks at one time. And you can’t just say everything that comes into your head,” Kennedy said.

“He just says anything. He says everything,” Kennedy said.

Over the last few weeks Trump has shared a slew of posts on his Truth Social platform, including a racist AI video of House Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in a sombrero and poncho, “King Trump” flying a jet in a crown and dumping what appears to be feces on purported "No Kings" protesters and artistic renditions of the “Arc de Trump,” similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, that he hopes to build.

He has also posted about attacks on alleged drug boats from Venezuela and "his bizarre ambitions of a 21,993rd run for the presidency in the year 90,000," The Beast reports.

Kennedy notes that the American people are watching.

“The American people get it,” Kennedy said. “I’m not saying my party’s perfect, but I think this is the way most Americans look at it today.”

“People look at their choice, Democrat, Republican. They say, ‘Well, Republicans aren’t perfect, but the other side’s crazy,’” he explained. “And that’s why they elected President Trump. They know all about President Trump.”

'I'm not a fan': MAGA lawmaker breaks with Trump after major announcement

A MAGA lawmaker broke with President Donald Trump after a major announcement, saying in a conversation with a Republican influencer Monday, "I'm not a fan."

Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) told Laura Loomer on her podcast that he did not agree with Trump's move to allow Qatar to build a military facility in Idaho.

"Look, I trust President Trump's judgment. And I think he has adopted the approach that by trying to embrace them, by trying to pull them and show them the benefits of working with America, he can get them to be a good actor on the world stage. But I am not a fan of Qatar. Let me be clear," he said.

Fine pointed to Qatar's financial ties to Hamas and surmised the country is responsible for fueling anti-semitism and protests in the United States.

"I think they fund most of the institutions that are damaging the country. I think they're responsible for much of what we see on our colleges and universities," Fine said. "I think they're responsible for many of these protests. I think they're responsible for these groups like CAIR, and these others that are just big problems. I think they are funding a lot of the problem. I'm not a fan. But I believe that President Trump knows what he's doing, and I think he's hoping by embracing them, bringing them closer to us, maybe they will abandon some of the horrible things that they are funding around the world."

Other Republicans, including top Trump ally Steve Bannon, have bashed the administration's decision to allow Qatar to build a military facility on American soil. Loomer also argued she trusts the president but is skeptical of "Islamic regimes."

On the last episode of @LoomerUnleashed, I asked @RepFine about the Trump administration’s decision to let Qatari pilots train to fly U.S. fighter jets at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.

Qatar bankrolls terror groups and fuels antisemitism on college campuses. After the… pic.twitter.com/6pknYJyBtK
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 20, 2025

'I see Republicans losing the House': MAGA lawmaker delivers grim warning for party

A MAGA lawmaker delivered a grim warning for her party ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

“I can’t see into the future, but I see Republicans losing the House if Americans are continuing to go paycheck-to-paycheck,” Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) told Semafor on Monday. “They’ll definitely be going into the midterms looking through the lens of their bank account.”

Greene, a MAGA loyalist who has recently criticized the Trump administration and her own party amid the government shutdown, pointed to Americans' main concern right now: the rising cost of living.

“Everyone keeps saying I’ve changed, and I’m saying, ‘No, I haven’t changed,’” Greene told Semafor. “I’m staying focused on America First, and I’m urging my party to get back to America First.”

She argues that the Republicans have lost their original vision, specifically not recognizing how health care costs will impact people in the United States. Greene says the short-term spending bill "is a complete failure, and that is something I’m really disgusted with."

“It’s an America Last strategy, and I don’t know whose strategy that is, but I don’t think it’s a good one," she said.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and the White House have continued to blame Democrats for the now 20-day shutdown.

“Any negative consequences felt by the American people have been caused purely by the Democrats — they can end the shut down any time they want,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Semafor.

Johnson has refused to reopen the House of Representatives to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ). Grijalva has said Johnson may be blocking her to prevent the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Democrats have speculated that Johnson is trying to prevent Grijalva from signing on to a discharge petition circulated by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to force a vote on releasing evidence from Epstein's sex trafficking case, and Grijalva agreed that's possible.