https://x.com/EricDJuly/status/1990074059321729301
We’re watching some major fractures form within the American Right right now.
This goes back to a point I’ve made for years: being “pro-Trump” was never a political philosophy. It was never a coherent ideological position. It was a coalition built around a moment, an attitude, and a personality. Timing had more to do with this than people wanted to admit.
Trump’s rise was a perfect storm. his forceful personality, the timing of his campaign, and the failures of the existing political class all created a vacuum that people were eager to fill. Many rallied behind him, but I think a lot of folks severely underestimated just how different Trump’s voters were from each other in terms of political beliefs, priorities, and economic philosophy.
Now there’s no reelection on the line. There’s no “just wait until the next term.” People want results right now, and they’re being forced to confront the reality that they don’t actually agree with Trump on some very fundamental issues. And the same personality traits that helped him dominate the political stage, the confidence, the combativeness, the unpredictability.... also create unnecessary crossfire and mixed messaging.
For some people, being “pro-Trump” simply means adopting whatever position he happens to hold at any given moment. Entire careers were launched (or revived) because someone threw on a red hat and tied their brand to his. That creates a sense of loyalty, or dependency.
But then you have the other side: people who don’t care about personalities or loyalty tests. They care about specific issues, specific policies, and whether those priorities are being addressed.
These two groups are not aligned, and it’s becoming painfully obvious.
The American Right is now being forced to figure out what it actually believes outside of Trump’s shadow and what a post-Trump political identity is supposed to look like. And because so many people hitchhiked on the Trump moment for entirely different reasons, there’s no unified answer.
That’s why you’re seeing fractures. That’s why you’re seeing fights. The movement was never built on shared philosophy, it was built on shared frustration. Once the common enemy isn’t enough, the differences come rushing to the surface.
