By Alexander Hinton
What is happening in the hearts of former President Donald Trump’s supporters?
As an anthropologist who studies peace and conflict, I went to the annual meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, to find out. I wanted to better understand the Make America Great Again faithful – and their die-hard support for Trump.
The event began on Feb. 21, 2024, in National Harbor, Maryland, with Steve Bannon’s routine, untrue banter about how President Joe Biden stole the 2020 election, and it peaked with an angry speech from Trump three days later. In between, I sat among the MAGA masses listening to speaker after speaker express outrage about American decline – and their hope for Trump’s reelection.
Everywhere I turned, people wore MAGA regalia – hats, pins, logos and patches, many with Trump’s likeness. I spent breaks in the exhibition hall, which featured a Jan. 6 insurrection-themed pinball machine featuring “Stop the Steal,” “Political Prisoners” and “Babbitt Murder” rally modes and a bus emblazoned with Trump’s face. Admirers scribbled messages on the bus such as, “We have your back” and “You are anointed and appointed by God to be the President.”
Those on the left who dismiss the CPAC as a gathering of MAGA crazies and racists who support a wannabe dictator do not understand that, from this far-right perspective, there are compelling and even urgent reasons to support Trump. Indeed, they believe, as conservative politician Tulsi Gabbard stated in her CPAC speech on Feb. 22, that the left’s claims about Trump’s authoritarianism are “laughable.” This is because CPAC attendees falsely perceive President Joe Biden as the one who is attacking democracy.
Here are my top three takeaways from CPAC about Trump supporters’ current priorities and thinking.
Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press
1. There’s a Reagan dinner – but CPAC is Trump’s party
Former President Ronald Reagan runs in CPAC’s DNA. Reagan spoke at the inaugural CPAC in 1974 and went on to speak there a dozen more times.
In 2019, the conservative advocacy group the American Political Union, which hosts CPAC, published a book of Reagan’s speeches with commentary by conservative luminaries. In the preface, Matt Schlapp, the head of the American Political Union, says he often asks himself, “What would Reagan do?”
CPAC’s pomp gala, held Friday, is still called the “Ronald Reagan Dinner.” But Reagan is otherwise hardly mentioned at the conference.
Reagan’s ideas of American exceptionalism have been supplanted by Trump’s populist story of apocalyptic decline. Reagan’s folksy tone, relative moderation and clear quips are long gone, replaced by fury, grievance and mean-spirited barbs.
2. There’s a method to the madness
Many commentators and critics, including groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center, view CPAC as a frightening or bizarre gathering of white nationalists who have a nativist agenda.
In 2021, commentators said the CPAC stage was shaped like a famous Nazi design called the Othala Rune, which is a hate symbol. Schlapp denied this claim and said that CPAC supports the Jewish community, but various commentators took note of the uncanny resemblance.
This year, CPAC refused to give press credentials to various media outlets, including The Washington Post, despite the organization’s emphasis on free speech.
Some speakers, including Trump, have been known to regularly voice support for white nationalism and right-wing extremism, including speakers who promote the false idea that there is a plot to replace the white population. I discuss this idea in my 2021 book, “It Can Happen Here: White Power and the Rising Threat of Genocide in the US.”
Indeed, the U.S.-Mexico border was a constant topic at this year’s CPAC, which included controversial anti-immigrant speakers such as the head of Spain’s far-right Vox party and a representative of Hungary, whose leader stated at the 2022 CPAC that Europeans should not become “mixed-race.” Hungary will also host a CPAC meeting in April 2024.
Many of the sessions have alarming titles like, “Burning Down the House,” “Does Government Even Matter” and “Going Full Hungarian.” There are right-wing, populist speakers like Bannon and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Overall, the program is informed by a conservative logic that largely boils down to God, family, tradition, law and order, defense and freedom.
Of these, God looms largest. As a result, CPAC’s hardcore conservative Christian orientation is anti-abortion rights, homophobic and oriented toward traditional family structure and what it considers morality.
Schlapp co-wrote a book in 2022 that warns of the dangers of “evil forces” – what he considers to be progressives, the radical left and American Marxists. Schlapp’s book title even dubs these forces “the desecrators.” Such inflammatory language is frequently used at CPAC, including by Trump during his Saturday speech.
Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press
3. Trump believers think he is their savior
CPAC’s love of Trump is shocking to many on the left. But at CPAC, Trump is viewed as America’s savior.
According to his base, Trump delivered on abortion by appointing Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. They believe that, despite evidence of mixed results, Trump had wide successes at securing the border and creating jobs. For example, during Trump’s time as president, the U.S. economy lost nearly 3 million jobs, and apprehensions of undocumented migrants at the border rose.
Trump’s CPAC speech, like his campaign speeches, harped on such supposed achievements – as well as Biden’s alleged “destruction” of the country.
Conservatives roll their eyes at liberal fears of Trump the despot. Like all of us, they acknowledge, Trump has flaws. They say that some of his comments about women and minorities are cringeworthy, but not evidence of an underlying misogyny and hatefulness, as many critics contend.
Ultimately, CPAC conservatives believe Trump is their best bet to defeat the radical-left “desecrators” who seek to thwart him at every turn – including, as they constantly complained at CPAC, social media bans, “fake news” takedowns, rigged voting, bogus lawsuits, unfair justice, and lies about what they call the Jan. 6, 2021, “protest”.
Despite these hurdles, Trump battles on toward the Republican nomination for presidential candidate – the hero who CPAC conservatives view as the last and best hope to save the USA.
Alexander Hinton is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and director of the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights at Rutgers University, Newark.
The Conversation arose out of deep-seated concerns for the fading quality of our public discourse and recognition of the vital role that academic experts could play in the public arena. Information has always been essential to democracy. It’s a societal good, like clean water. But many now find it difficult to put their trust in the media and experts who have spent years researching a topic. Instead, they listen to those who have the loudest voices. Those uninformed views are amplified by social media networks that reward those who spark outrage instead of insight or thoughtful discussion. The Conversation seeks to be part of the solution to this problem, to raise up the voices of true experts and to make their knowledge available to everyone. The Conversation publishes nightly at 9 p.m. on FlaglerLive.
JimboXYZ says
Well, 3+ years of Biden-Harris and we know Biden isn’t anyone’s savior, that somehow under his leadershio we went from saving the human race from Covid to wars in the Ukraine & Gaza. We went from sub $ 200K houses that were unaffordable to $ 400K affordable houses without seeing the wage growth for affordable to happen. Interest rates increased, energy rates increased, groceries increased, grocery store shelves were empty of basic supplies. Who would ever think going back to 2019 & 2020 prices would be so attractive ? According to the media, racism & crime are worse than it’s ever been. There is no salvation & savoir as long as Biden reigns supreme over America. Biden’s pleas for peace are hollow, every so often the war chest has to be replenished for funding that would be better served to repave roads across the USA. Instead the money for a road has to be a dead end flyover or a pedestrian bridge that ends in an area to be developed in the future for something that won’t be utilized for years. How long has Colbert Lane remained undeveloped, yet leveled to dirt at those stalled residential developments ? Beach dune renourishment, A1A seawall building & pier rebuilding will go forward, that’s just locally. Some of it Trump era funding, other recent hurricane disaster Biden era funding. Those millions, it’s questionable whether the pier or dunes withstand the next season’s of storms, yet the millions could actually have been used to repave Flagler County City of Palm Coast residential roads/streets. we do know one thing, Biden is no savior, and Trump’s 2016-2020 America all of a sudden looks like a preferable state & lifestyle. Whether anyone can undo what has happened in the last 3+ years of Biden-Harris remains to be a monumental task, continuing in the direction of Biden is unsustainable without ruining more lives along the way. Homelessness is up, drug abuse is up, crime is up. Where is the protesting, that outrage for a better quality of life ?
The dude says
Scared of his own shadow our Jimbo is… it’s simply and monumentally amazing that he finds the strength to somehow carry on daily in the face of all his fears.
To us normals, all the ills of Floriduh can be laid directly at the feet of those to blame. The folks that Jimbo votes for religiously.
But, really, what can we expect from him and MAGA?
Critical thinking and the accountability are not exactly hallmarks of MAGA thinking…
JimboXYZ says
I’m not the one writing articles about not having the funding to repave residential roads every other day. Or an article about the fights that break out in the local schools. Here’s one you can try to wrap your head around and claim you’re a critical thinker ? BTW, that man was arrested in NYC & released to relocate to GA and do this. His victim in NYC was a 17 year old minor. The brother is even a fraud for a green card to be here. This will become more prevalent as time goes by with a Biden border. Still think Biden’s your savior ? Wait until the next traffic accident that involves anyone you may care about turns up an illegal that’s falsified DL, insurance & registration, then has no money to pay for the damages, that’s if the accident doesn’t involve fatality ? Doesn’t scare me as much as you think it does, but should it even happen if folks are doing their jobs ? Just because it didn’t happen to me, if it were to happen to you, I’d be equally as concerned kind of thing for any justice at least.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/court-documents-shed-new-details-in-killing-of-nursing-student-at-university-of-georgia/ar-BB1iXdHU
https://abc7.com/university-of-georgia-laken-hope-riley-nursing-student-killed-in-jose-antonio-ibarra/14467697/
Deborah Coffey says
If all you write is true in your mind, then why do our nation’s historians and political scientists rank Joe Biden as America’s 14th best president out of 46 and Donald Trump dead last?
Bill C says
Your answer to the question does “Trump’s base believe He is the Savior?” is once again a resounding “YES!”.
Foresee says
When reading the alphabet, XYZ are the last three letters of the alphabet, there is nothing more to the right of these three letters. X and Z the least used letters. XYZ identifies with these letters in his handle. That says a lot about his viewpoint.
Deborah Coffey says
MAGA is a cult and, cults never end well.
JimboXYZ says
MAGA was a campaign slogan from 2016 that Democrats/Leftists have spun into the cult that was fabricated. Who could argue with making anything great again, even America ? Biden-Harris is who. And what is Biden’s 2024 slogan ? Give him 4 more years of the last 3+ years of “Shut Up, Bend Over & Pay for your Unaffordable, Unsustainable Inflation Enema”. Somehow there are those that don’t perceive that as a threat to life, liberty & pursuit of happiness that has always been what America has stood for. I suspect they are the one’s that profited most off the inflation ? The common man for the masses just the victim of the next gouges & rounds of inflation(s) that have made every aspect of basic necessities systematically unaffordable. What wage increases were passed in 2020 for a higher minimum wage are nothing more than deficit idle time for labor.
Somehow that’s an improvement over Trump ? Biden’s reign of terror thrives during financial instability for labor & the masses. One doesn’t have to leave the confines of their residence to face financial hardship. Wen one does go to work each day, come home to bills that have somehow increased for the next article on an assault on the American consumer.
Here’s an example, Sonny’s BBQ Big Deal sandwich meal. A day when that was $ 4.99 & tax, the side & beverage was included. A week ago Friday, the Sandwich is $ 9, want a side of fries & sweet tea beverage, that’s another $ 4. Add a another side for $ 3+, a tip and that meal has easily doubled in price. I can’t imagine how much McDonald’s costs today, I refuse to go over & see it 1st hand, even research what costs were vs what they became/are during/under the Biden regime. Let’s Go (Dark) Brandon ? It is what it is ? Biden strategy is waterboard with inflation, the lowest prices to make you feel like that bend over & pay more is some kind of bargain. Sorry, nobody is buying into those Post Covid lies of gouging.
Pierre Tristam says
Make America Great Again was a Reagan campaign slogan. Trump, a habitual offender, stole it.
DaleL says
I checked and according to NBC News both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton used the phrase:
“Ronald Reagan repeatedly promised to “make America great again” during his 1980 presidential campaign. He, too, used it as slogan on campaign merchandise.”
“I believe that together we can make America great again,” said Clinton is his 1991 presidential announcement speech. In a campaign stop almost a year later, he called on voters “to make America great again economically, educationally, and socially.”
It is not known with certainty that Mr. Reagan was the first to come up with the phrase, “Make America Great Again”. We do know it was NOT Mr. Trump.
As for Jimbo, the story concerns Mr. Trump’s base. I have watched repeated interviews with members of his base and the story is spot on. Many of Mr. Biden’s supporters are not so much for Mr. Biden as they are against Mr. Trump. I do not want a dishonest, vengeful autocrat as President (for life). I still have some hope that Mr. Trump will be declared to be disqualified from holding any office as a result of his attempts to overthrow our democracy in the last election. (Section 3, 14th Amendment)
Laurel says
Jimbo: Do you look at the world standing on your head? Inflation is at 3.1%. If you have a problem with Sonny’s, talk to the Sonny’s manager. We were there yesterday, and the meal was really disappointing. The beans had so much sugar, my mouth curdled. The cole slaw was tasteless and swimming in runny dressing. The garlic bread was saturated. I don’t think we’ll bother with the 1,800 calorie meals again. We won’t be back. Blaming President Biden for Sonny’s meals is beyond strange. Believing that somehow, it would be a better, less expensive meal under Trump is even beyond that.
BTW, if you want a really good meal, (I don’t know if I can name it here, but you can figure it out easily) try the Indian restaurant in European Village (starts with a 5). Reasonable and delicious! Forget the tea, do a Mango Lassi! Yum!
JimboXYZ says
It’s been quite some time sine visiting the European Village, last I was there, there really wasn’t anything special for cuisine. But that’s for my palate.
Enough on that. Inflation is 3.1% on select metrics that our beloved DC Swamp wants to portray a rosier picture of. Gasoline in the last month has bounced from $ 3.25/gallon to a current $ 3.38. That’s 4% in 29 days alone, .9% higher than the 3.1% Biden-Harris report. Can’t cherry pick the CPI. Here you go, understand Biden is lying as usual. Table 1 and you’ll see that is month on month, year on year inflation rates, last time it was this bad, Jimmy Carter, America voted him out just the same.
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/historical-inflation-rates/
https://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/
Laurel says
Jimbo: When you live long enough, you’ll see that frequently, the Republicans get us in recessions, and Democrats get us out. I’m not a Democrat, and I often find them annoying, but they really are more honest, and President Biden is clearly far more honest than Trump.
My husband likes Bloomberg TV, so I’m often stuck listening. So the reality is, we have a booming economy. It is not President Biden who is in charge of local shops and restaurants. President Biden is pumping more gas than any other country, but he cannot brag about it because he will piss off the other Democrats.
Here in the Hammock, our Publix is more expensive than on the mainland. They cater to the vacation renters, and though they keep telling us the store is a small one, and so sometimes hard to find the items we want, it is filled to the brim with Keebler cookies and tons of various types of chips. This is for the vacationers, not the locals anymore, and the locals now often go over the bridge to shop. In fact, many Publix employees cannot afford to shop in the store they work in. Some fast food chains are now promoting raising prices during certain hours of the day. So, fast food chains are neither thrifty nor nutritious, and very happy to gouge us. Best to pass them by.
This is corporate driven, and the only way to get around it is to stay away from these shops, or at least use them far less often. We now only use *our* Publix as a convenience store, like a seven eleven, and not shop there for supplies we can get elsewhere for less. This is a shame because we are close by, and have been shopping there for over a decade. Businesses don’t care anymore. It’s no more “…where shopping is a pleasure.” When looking at a receipt once, I found that I had purchased an “organic” cabbage for $8.00! Eight dollars when you can find them in Bunnell for a buck a head! It went back five minutes later!
Point being, yes it is a booming economy, and yes it is crazy expensive for daily stuff. But you must understand that yes, it is corporate driven. Neither of the candidates can fix this. We have to fix it by making it clear to politicians and corporations alike…or eat it. Trump ain’t gonna save it for us.
Charles says
He’s not my savior. I don’t worship criminals or someone that is against democracy and female rights or someone that stole top secret documents. I vote for winners not losers. Anyone that supports a con man sooner or later will see how wrong they are.
STAN says
YOU MUST VOTED FOR BIDEN !!! YOU SURE GOT A WINNER CHARLIE !!!
Laurel says
Better than a loser like Trump, for sure!
Jackson says
When you have a open sore, you visit the doctor and get taken care of ASAP.
Donald = open sore
Doctor = Vote Blue
Class dismissed.
Laurel says
Trump stated that America is going to hell. He shouted “We are in hell!” If this is hell, it’s a lot better than I ever imagined!
My life long Republican husband (until Trump, when he switched to Independent) has said to me many, many times that he feels so rich because he has a roof over his head, and can walk into a grocery store and buy whatever item he wants. That’s real appreciation!
If you think you are in hell now, wait until Trump is in charge again.
Trump is a damned good argument for there really being a devil. I always wondered how the Germans accepted Hitler. How did they justify his rhetoric, and buy his crazy, deadly ideas. Now I’m watching it with my own eyes, in my own country. It’s constantly shocking! People keep making excuses for Trump’s vicious behavior. They keep playing his nastiness down. They cannot really justify Trump, so immediately tear down Biden with falsehoods. I never, ever thought it could happen here! The is not a damned thing Christian about it. He is NOT our retribution. He is NOT the only thing standing between us and them. He is NOT a victim. He is a grifter.
Sherry says
Thank you Laurel! You are right on!
DaleL says
What distresses me the most are the elected members of Congress, appointed members of the US Government, and perhaps even Supreme Court Justices, all of whom took an oath to defend the Constitution, and yet ignore and violate that oath. Members of Congress, who witnessed the violence of January 6th, that would not vote to hold Mr. Trump accountable. Just recently, Congress would not vote for aid to Ukraine and funds to secure our border with Mexico because of Mr. Trump. SCOTUS has yet to decide if the plain language of the Constitution, 14th Amendment, Section 3 means anything. Is our Constitution to have no more meaning than that of the Russian Federation?
If all these “important” Senators, Representatives, Judges, government office holders will not honor their oath to defend the Constitution, then what can any of us do? In the future, will the office of President be decided by rival mobs at the Capitol?
Laurel says
DaleL: It is pretty bad, and I know of a lot of worried and upset people. It is really shocking that the SCOTUS is delaying Trump’s trials, and whether he is guilty, or not guilty, the public should have all the facts to decide what to do.
Well, we will see what SCOTUS is up to. Are they covering all legal bases so Trump cannot cry injustice, or are they aiding him by delaying his trials. Either way, I doubt this would happen for any of the rest of us, and the SCOTUS is at an all time low in confidence by the American people. It also appears that Thomas will not recuse himself, which is highly suspicious.
The dude says
Yeah, it’s a cult. Complete with graven images and all…
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/golden-trump-statue-cpac-implies-he-s-king-gop-his-ncna1259362
I believe the bible said some stuff about a charismatic leader emerging something something something… MAGA and it’s great MAGA king sure seem to fit the bill here.
marlee says
What are the qualities of a cult leader?
Cult leaders are charismatic, highly convincing, and good at getting people to listen to and follow them. They often build their image on lies and may display narcissistic behaviors.
Sherry says
MAGA is absolutely a cult, populated by non-thinking, morally corrupt members who worship an absolute con man who has already been found GUILTY of massive fraud, sexual assault and defamation in 4 different trials. Plus trump has many criminal indictments for which he “should” be held accountable. If this were any other person running for any office, they would NEVER hold a publicly elected position. But, the despicable “cult” members continue to support their lord and master like zombies.
trump must never be allowed to hold office again! VOTE Democratic. . . our entire democratic way of being depends on it!