REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko
President Donald Trump's MAGA movement is "mired in conflict over Israel, white nationalism, purity tests and disputes among its biggest personalities," writes Axios, and it's only expected to get worse this week.
MAGA, they write, is still "overwhelmingly pro-Trump," but "less relevant in shaping the president's agenda," and "these days, MAGA can spend more time eating its own than feasting on liberals or establishment Republicans."
While most Americans are unaware of the MAGA infighting between far-right influencers like Ben Shapiro and antisemites like Nick Fuentes, "they see flickers of MAGA fires when the mainstream media picks up on feuds," Axios says.
MAGA, they write, still dominates Republican media like Fox News and the National Review, and Trump still holds claim to it—for now.
"MAGA was my idea — MAGA was nobody else's idea," Trump told Fox News' Laura Ingraham this past week. "I know what MAGA wants better than anybody else. And MAGA wants to see our country thrive."
However, "turmoil, conflict and rivalry" is tearing MAGA apart, Axios notes, and "it's unfolding over what it means to be truly America First when Trump, MAGA's titular and spiritual leader, focuses attention on Israel or Venezuela as working-class voters are hurting in America. Fights over this are spilling out, well, everywhere."
In addition to the rise of Fuentes and young white nationalists "often saying racist and misogynistic things unapologetically," Trump's "open warfare" with former loyalist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) over her push for release of the files on late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and her criticisms of Trump's economy "signals a split between MAGA and America First," Axios says.
Former Fox News star Tucker Carlson's critiques of Trump "for supporting Israel so lavishly," also fuels the split, arguing that "this is a massive distraction and total violation of America First principles," Axios reports.
Other MAGA talking points are also seemingly jeopardized by Trump's consolidation of power, they report.
"There's a sense that MAGA's most powerful topic — free speech — seems a little fraudulent or fake now that its leader has power in Washington," Axios writes.
"The most dispiriting fact of the last nine months is that huge proportions of the institutional Republican Party all kind of hate free speech every bit as much as the left does," Carlson told the N.Y. Times.
"They are every bit as censorious as some blue-haired, menopausal Black Lives Matter activist. And I just didn't know that. And I'm disgusted. I feel betrayed. I take it personally."
MAGA loyalists are also seething at the access to the White House tech CEOs and Wall Street excutives seem to enjoy, as well as Trump's focus on "crypto, the White House ballroom, and foreign jet setting."
"President Trump, many people are saying, must quickly return to his own populist roots and campaign pledges, rather than entertaining the Big Pharma or Big Bank bosses," writes "top MAGA" voice Raheem Kassam.
While Trump sits out "the messiest fights and ignores the anti-Israel backlash," the MAGA mess, Axios writes, is a bigger problem for Vice President JD Vance, "who positions himself as the heir apparent."
Whoever suffers more, Axios writes, "expect the MAGA conflict to widen this week," as Trump welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House on Tuesday.
The Crown Prince has faced significant international scrutiny over the October 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which a declassified US intelligence report concluded he approved. However, he continues to hold power and has been granted immunity in a US lawsuit related to the killing.
Even worse for MAGA, Axios notes: "the House plans to vote on releasing Epstein files, an issue that led to his breakup with Greene and rare disappointment from notable portions of his base.
"MAGA remains powerful. But it's not the united force it was six months ago," they write.