Trump’s MAGA Movement Faces Unprecedented Tensions
Donald Trump has long touted himself as the singular architect of the MAGA movement, but recent events suggest a seismic shift may be underway.
The weekend began with a wellness check for the MAGA coalition: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) officially announced her resignation, a move that appears to have left Trump unfazed. Meanwhile, incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, previously demonized as a Republican boogeyman during the midterms, found an unexpected ally in Trump.
In a dizzying turn of events from Friday to early Saturday, Trump—who insists he understands what “MAGA wants better than anyone”—celebrated Greene’s departure on Truth Social, labeling her “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown,” while simultaneously praising Mamdani as “a Great Honor meeting Zohran Mamdani.”
Steve Bannon, former White House aide and MAGA media booster, aptly described the situation as “a world turned upside down.”
This bizarre Friday unfolded amidst a week where Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), frequent targets of Trump’s ire, managed to destabilize his grip on the congressional faction with their Epstein Files Transparency Act. Taken together, these events serve as a stark reminder that the MAGA movement has often been driven more by emotion than coherent ideology, where personal dynamics reshape political alliances—an alarming prospect for anyone left to hold the coalition together post-Trump.
Trump and Mamdani’s Friday meeting veered far from the anticipated confrontation against socialism. Instead, it morphed into a surprisingly amicable exchange between the self-proclaimed democratic socialist and the former president.
“We had a meeting today that actually surprised me,” Trump remarked to reporters during the event.
However, for some of Trump’s staunchest supporters, the praise he lavished on Mamdani—a man he previously warned would lead New York City to ruin—was nothing short of agonizing. Laura Loomer, a close Trump confidante, expressed confusion, questioning, “What’s the purpose of people voting in 2026 if the Democrat policies are ‘rational?’” She was particularly baffled by Trump’s characterization of Mamdani as “a very rational person.”
The White House, however, was quick to dismiss concerns regarding the direction of Trump’s movement. “As the architect of the MAGA movement, President Trump will always put America First. He’s secured the border, tackled Biden’s inflation crisis, lowered drug prices, and deported criminal illegal aliens,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson. She further asserted that Trump’s willingness to meet with the newly elected mayor signaled an openness to bipartisanship, a narrative Politico was accused of misrepresenting.
Political alliances in Trump’s Washington are notoriously fickle. Even some of his closest allies attempted to distance themselves from the implications of Friday’s meeting. Elise Stefanik, once a leading candidate for a UN ambassadorship, has labeled Mamdani a “jihadist,” a claim Trump notably rejected during their meeting.
“We all want NYC to succeed. But we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one,” Stefanik posted on social media, despite Trump’s apparent shift.
On the flip side, Democrats, especially those aligned with Mamdani, reveled in the surprising outcome of the meeting. “Trump respects strength and winners,” remarked Rebecca Katz, a founding partner at Fight Agency, which created ads for Mamdani. Some Democratic strategists celebrated Trump’s departure from the narrative that painted Mamdani as a midterm adversary. Did Speaker Mike Johnson’s entire 2026 strategy just collapse?
“Pour one out for the NRCC/NRSC staffers who saw their 2026 ads go up in smoke. Sad!” quipped veteran Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson.
Despite the unexpected camaraderie, many remain convinced that Trump’s newfound affection for Mamdani will eventually fade. GOP strategist Doug Heye noted, “Plenty of time for that to come if it does,” emphasizing that an aggressive stance from either party would have been ill-advised, especially given their shared appeal to voters frustrated with the current system.
Some Democrats harbor doubts, particularly Mamdani’s critics within his own party, who predict that as soon as he begins to implement policies, he will revert to being the GOP’s favorite bogeyman. “He will become the bogeyman as soon as he starts implementing policy and saying ‘socialist’ as the sitting mayor,” stated Democratic strategist Alex Hoffman.
For Democrats, however, Friday’s amicable interaction could provide a framework for navigating the complexities of engaging with Trump. In a year where many Democrats have struggled to address Trumpism, Mamdani’s approach showcased a compelling pathway. Trump perceives Democrats as weak; by exuding strength without compromising his principles, Mamdani may have set a precedent for successfully countering Trump’s narrative without resorting to outright rejection.
“Some Democrats made the decision that they had to reject Zohran completely if they didn’t agree with all of his policies. That was a mistake,” Katz concluded. “We need a lot of wins in 2026. Let’s work together to figure out how to get them.”
Andrew Howard, Nick Reisman, and Joe Anuta contributed to this report.
