Why do people still back Trump, after everything? 5 things to understand about MAGA supporters’ thinking
- Written by Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark
For many people, especially those leaning left, Donald Trump’s disqualifications to be president seem obvious, prompting some to question: How could anyone still vote for Trump?
Some of the evidence Trump’s critics cite include his two impeachments[1], multiple criminal indictments[2] at the state and federal levels and a felony conviction[3]. Opponents also say that Trump is a threat to democracy[4], a misogynist[5], racist[6], a serial liar[7] and a rapist[8].
About 78% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independent voters say that Trump broke the law[9] when he allegedly tried to overturn the 2020 election results. But less than half[10] of Republicans think he did anything wrong.
I am an anthropologist of peace and conflict[11], and I have been studying what I call the Trumpiverse since 2015, when Trump descended a golden escalator[12] and announced his candidacy for president. I later wrote a related book in 2021, called “It Can Happen Here[13].”
More recently, I have been examining toxic polarization – and ways to stop it. Many efforts to reduce people’s polarized views begin with an injunction: Listen and understand.
To this end, I have attended Trump rallies, populist and nonpartisan events and meetings where Democrats and Republicans connect and talk. Along the way, I have spoken with Trump supporters ranging from the Make America Great Again, or MAGA, faithful to moderate “hold the nose and vote for him” conservatives.
And indeed, many on the left fail to understand who Trump voters are and how they vary. Trump’s base cannot simply be dismissed as racist “deplorables”[14], as Hillary Clinton famously said in 2016, or as country bumpkins in red MAGA hats. Trump voters trend older, white, rural, religious[15] and less educated[16]. But they include others outside those demographic groups.
Many people have thoughtful reasons for voting for Trump, even if their reasoning – as is also true for those on the left – is often inflamed by populist polarizers and media platforms.
Here are five key lines of reasoning that, in varying combinations, inform Trump voters’ choice.
1. Media distortion
Where those on the left see Trump’s many failings, those on the right may see what some political observers[18] call Trump Derangement Syndrome[19], sometimes simply called TDS.
According to this line of argument, the left-leaning media dissects Trump’s every word, and the media then distorts what he says. I have found that some Trump supporters think that people who feed too much on this allegedly biased media diet can get TDS[20] and develop a passionate, perhaps illogical dislike of Trump.
I have also heard hardcore Trump supporters argue, with no evidence, that such “fake news” media outlets, like CNN, are part of a larger deep state plot[21] of the federal government to upend the will of the people. This plot, according to those who propagate it, includes not just leftists, government bureaucrats and people who claim to be Republicans, but really aren’t[22], but also people in law enforcement.
Some Trump supporters also see merit in his contention that he is being wrongly persecuted[23], just like some see the Jan. 6 defendants[24] being persecuted.
2. Bread on the table, money in the bank
“Are you better off than you were[25] four years ago?”
For many Trump voters, the answer to Ronald Reagan’s famous question is clear: “No.” They accurately remember Trump’s term[26] as one of tax cuts, economic growth[27] and stock market highs[28].
It is true that overall employment numbers and average pay went up under President Joe Biden[29]. But for some Trump supporters, that economic boost pales in comparison to the massive surge in inflation during Biden’s term, with prices rising almost 20%[30]. While the inflation rate has recently abated[31], prices remain high – as voters are reminded of every day at the grocery store.
Polls also show that Trump has a strong lead over Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on how they would handle the economy, which is a top concern for voters[32], especially Republicans.
3. A border invasion
Another reason some Americans want to vote for Trump: immigration.
Like inflation, the number of people illegally crossing the border soared[33] under Biden.
This massive influx of “illegal aliens,” as Trump calls them[34], dropped to its lowest level in four years[35] in July 2024. This happened after the Biden administration made it harder for immigrants to apply for asylum[36] at the U.S.-Mexico border, a policy measure that is in line with many Republicans’ approach.
In 2022, a poll found 7 out of 10 Republicans[37] worried that “open borders” were part of a Democratic plot to expand liberals’ power by replacing conservative white people with nonwhite foreigners.
Trump has played into some people’s mostly false concerns that immigrants living illegally in the U.S. are freeloaders and won’t assimilate, as illustrated by recent – untrue – allegations that immigrants are eating pets[38] in Ohio.
In 2022, 82% of Republicans said they viewed immigration as a “very important” issue[39]. Trump continues to tout his proposed solution, which includes shutting the border, building a wall and deporting 11 million immigrants[40] who are living in the U.S. without legal authorization.
People attend a Donald Trump rally in Uniondale, N.Y., on Sept. 18, 2024.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images[41]
4. A proven record
Some Trump voters simply compare the records of Trump and Biden-Harris and find that the tally tilts firmly toward Trump.
And it’s not just about the economy and immigration.
There were no new wars under Trump. Biden-Harris, in contrast, are saddled with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip. Trump supporters’ perception is that American taxpayers[42] foot a large portion of the bill, even though other countries are also giving money to Ukraine[43], and Israel is actually buying weapons[44] from the U.S.
I have found that Trump supporters also think he is better suited to deal with the rising power and threat[45] of China[46].
5. The MAGA bull in a china shop
While some Harris supporters lament Trump’s destruction of democracy and decency in politics, I have found that Trump voters see a charismatic MAGA bull in a china shop.
It is precisely because Trump is an unrelenting pugilist, or a fighter[47] – as he showed when he raised a fist after the assassination attempt[48] against him in July – that he should be elected, his supporters believe.
Some even view him as savior[49] – who will save the U.S. from a “radical left” apocalypse.
For such Trump stalwarts, MAGA is not simply a slogan. In the Trumpiverse, it is a movement to save an America that is on the brink of failure.
References
- ^ two impeachments (www.law.cornell.edu)
- ^ multiple criminal indictments (www.nytimes.com)
- ^ a felony conviction (apnews.com)
- ^ threat to democracy (nymag.com)
- ^ a misogynist (www.vanityfair.com)
- ^ racist (www.thenation.com)
- ^ serial liar (www.washingtonpost.com)
- ^ a rapist (www.washingtonpost.com)
- ^ Trump broke the law (www.pewresearch.org)
- ^ less than half (www.pewresearch.org)
- ^ anthropologist of peace and conflict (sasn.rutgers.edu)
- ^ Trump descended a golden escalator (www.washingtonpost.com)
- ^ “It Can Happen Here (nyupress.org)
- ^ as racist “deplorables” (www.npr.org)
- ^ older, white, rural, religious (www.brookings.edu)
- ^ less educated (fivethirtyeight.com)
- ^ Spencer Platt/Getty Images (www.gettyimages.com)
- ^ some political observers (www.salon.com)
- ^ Trump Derangement Syndrome (www.cnn.com)
- ^ can get TDS (www.urbandictionary.com)
- ^ larger deep state plot (politicalscience.yale.edu)
- ^ Republicans, but really aren’t (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ he is being wrongly persecuted (www.npr.org)
- ^ the Jan. 6 defendants (www.justice.gov)
- ^ better off than you were (www.hks.harvard.edu)
- ^ They accurately remember Trump’s term (www.cnn.com)
- ^ economic growth (www.cbsnews.com)
- ^ stock market highs (thehill.com)
- ^ went up under President Joe Biden (www.forbes.com)
- ^ prices rising almost 20% (finance.yahoo.com)
- ^ inflation rate has recently abated (www.pbs.org)
- ^ a top concern for voters (www.pewresearch.org)
- ^ people illegally crossing the border soared (www.washingtonpost.com)
- ^ “illegal aliens,” as Trump calls them (www.c-span.org)
- ^ lowest level in four years (www.washingtonpost.com)
- ^ apply for asylum (www.reuters.com)
- ^ In 2022, a poll found 7 out of 10 Republicans (www.usatoday.com)
- ^ allegations that immigrants are eating pets (apnews.com)
- ^ viewed immigration as a “very important” issue (www.pewresearch.org)
- ^ 11 million immigrants (www.npr.org)
- ^ Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images (www.gettyimages.com)
- ^ American taxpayers (www.defense.gov)
- ^ giving money to Ukraine (www.statista.com)
- ^ actually buying weapons (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ rising power and threat (www.axios.com)
- ^ China (foreignpolicy.com)
- ^ unrelenting pugilist, or a fighter (www.axios.com)
- ^ assassination attempt (apnews.com)
- ^ savior (theconversation.com)
Authors: Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark
