The notion that half the country voted for Donald Trump's agenda, or worse, that half the country is content with it, is a gross exaggeration. In reality, only 24% of voters identify as "MAGA supporters," and an even lower percentage - just 54% of his own base - share this sentiment.
According to a recent poll by More in Common, an international pro-democracy organization, Trump's base can be broken down into four distinct clusters: MAGA hardliners, anti-woke conservatives, mainline Republicans, and the reluctant right. These groups reveal that Trump's coalition is far from monolithic.
The most alarmingly extreme group is comprised of MAGA hardliners, who are predominantly white, highly religious, and less educated than other Trump voters. This group is deeply distrustful of institutions and believes in a conspiracy theory surrounding media, business, and politics. A significant majority (60%) of this group wants Trump to serve a third term, while nearly three-quarters support deporting undocumented immigrants.
However, it's worth noting that not all Trump supporters hold these extreme views. The reluctant right, which comprises about 21% of the coalition, are more nuanced in their beliefs and are less supportive of deportation policies. In fact, this group is more likely to express regret over their vote or have doubts about the direction of Trump's agenda.
The polling data suggests that Trump's base is not as monolithic as it seems. For instance, only 28% of Trump voters support decreasing spending on Medicaid, which was cut by $1 trillion in the "Big Beautiful Bill" last year.
A January Pew poll found that only 27% of respondents support all or most of Trump's policies, with this decline primarily attributed to Republicans. The erosion is progressing rapidly, and given the relatively small size of his base, there is ample room for further moderization.
The idea that half the country voted for Trump's agenda or is content with it is an oversimplification. While he does have a dedicated base, it's essential to recognize the diversity within this group and acknowledge the concerns about extremism and divisiveness emanating from some quarters of his coalition.
According to a recent poll by More in Common, an international pro-democracy organization, Trump's base can be broken down into four distinct clusters: MAGA hardliners, anti-woke conservatives, mainline Republicans, and the reluctant right. These groups reveal that Trump's coalition is far from monolithic.
The most alarmingly extreme group is comprised of MAGA hardliners, who are predominantly white, highly religious, and less educated than other Trump voters. This group is deeply distrustful of institutions and believes in a conspiracy theory surrounding media, business, and politics. A significant majority (60%) of this group wants Trump to serve a third term, while nearly three-quarters support deporting undocumented immigrants.
However, it's worth noting that not all Trump supporters hold these extreme views. The reluctant right, which comprises about 21% of the coalition, are more nuanced in their beliefs and are less supportive of deportation policies. In fact, this group is more likely to express regret over their vote or have doubts about the direction of Trump's agenda.
The polling data suggests that Trump's base is not as monolithic as it seems. For instance, only 28% of Trump voters support decreasing spending on Medicaid, which was cut by $1 trillion in the "Big Beautiful Bill" last year.
A January Pew poll found that only 27% of respondents support all or most of Trump's policies, with this decline primarily attributed to Republicans. The erosion is progressing rapidly, and given the relatively small size of his base, there is ample room for further moderization.
The idea that half the country voted for Trump's agenda or is content with it is an oversimplification. While he does have a dedicated base, it's essential to recognize the diversity within this group and acknowledge the concerns about extremism and divisiveness emanating from some quarters of his coalition.