Donald Trump’s power stems from his cult-like devotion by a large legion of followers. Many are utterly lost when it comes to policy choices. They have largely lost any understanding of favored policy choices. Republicans don’t create platforms anymore – not really – most wait until they hear from whatever choice Trump makes and then give that choice rock-solid devotion. Whatever he thinks, they think. But it now appears that there are exceptions, some almost irrelevant, some so critical that it near defines our country. The three that come quickly to mind include the choice to bomb Iran, the decision to decimate Medicaid, and now the Epstein matter. With respect to the massive policy shifts, the Epstein matter barely registers. But MAGA exists in part to attack Democrats, including the hated Clintons. And for now, that rift leaves MAGA now nearly universally turning on Trump and the apologists around him.
Lev Parnas, the Ukrainian-American insider who knows how Trump thinks as well as anyone notes that the Epstein files may be a significant straw on Trump’s back. No, it is hard to imagine it being the straw. But it sure can bring that single one closer. He writes on Substack his recent take on anger within the MAGA movement and the very threatening divide.
“I’ve been telling you for weeks how the MAGA Cult is turning on itself. And fast.”
“The very machine that Donald Trump built—the one fueled by conspiracy, anger, and blind loyalty—is eating itself alive. And behind the scenes, it’s even darker than you think. My sources are telling me that Trump has now weaponized the FBI and DOJ not just against his enemies—but against his own. That’s right. Right-wing reporters, MAGA influencers, and pro-Trump media figures are being warned: stop talking about Epstein or face prosecution. Silence or punishment. That’s the message being delivered. I’ve seen this tactic before when I was on the inside—but never this desperate, never this dangerous.”
I think it is important to keep the word “dark” in mind. Many of these people are motivated by a highly cynical and almost downright evil world view. They want Democrats and anyone disloyal to be “hurt.” Some want immigrants gone, but not necessarily the good ones who are local and working jobs. Most don’t like troops on American streets. But more than anything, they want their conspiracy theories answered. They want Democrats nailed on this without any consideration that there may be Republicans – including Trump – caught up in it. Parnas goes on:
“Now I want you to hear me loud and clear. A lot of people on the left are saying, ‘enough with Epstein.’ They want to move on. They say the narrative is stale. But that’s because they don’t understand Donald Trump. They don’t understand MAGA. They don’t realize this is Trump’s kryptonite,”
Here, I think he’s wrong. At least the people on this site care, and I do not believe we only want Trump caught up in the net. We do appreciate the importance, especially if our intel community was also caught up in it. But more than anything, we don’t care how many Democrats are involved. A child abuser is a child abuser. Our only real priority is that there is no cover-up of Republican involvement, including and up to Trump himself.
If Bill Clinton is on the list, so be it. He deserves whatever he got, so long as it isn’t “extra.”
But it also appears as though Trump is protecting himself, whether he is on the list, or people who can ruin him with other things (Potential ties to the Russian mob as but one example). It doesn’t matter which of the above is the motivation; all those pictures don’t lie. He was there sometime, and that generally means only one thing.
MAGA doesn’t – or didn’t – believe that Trump was on the list because it was Trump himself who promised to lay it out. When put alongside the decision to bomb Iran, and recklessly cutting Medicaid, MAGA really is turning on itself in a way that we haven’t seen before.
Trump is also in trouble because of how his administration is framed – a lame duck with very little more he can do. This is especially true coming into the mid-terms, where Trump’s influence may actually backfire during a time when the opposition nearly always gains seats anyway.
When Democrats gain control of the House, Trump will be investigated like never before. He will be the lamest duck and – perhaps – dangerously flirting with trying a third term.
Last, the final straw, the one that will break his back, is if and when the economy gets much worse, and there are signs it is headed that way. Americans vote with their pocketbooks and elected Trump out of the belief that he would create the greatest economy ever, as he claimed to before. There are too many signs that the opposite is happening.
Thus it is that the Epstein matter – while not impacting national policy in any way – symbolizes fractures in the rock wall. It is Trump’s kryptonite and sets up a situation where the economy and investigations may seal the deal in breaking his unbreakable backing.
I have always said, cults are invulnerable until they are suddenly not. And once crumbled, it is impossible to build back.
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God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and also on X at @JasonMiciak, and please follow me now on Bluesky.
Zoomers, we are always in need of donations. It’s been an especially rough month, and my own health has not been great these past few weeks, which just adds to the frustration. Anything you can spare will be immensely appreciated. And thank you to all who have donated generously already. Ursula
