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It would appear that MAGA is on the verge of a split. The unifying face within the movement is Donald Trump, who is behaving in ways befitting a corporate executive and not a Populist leader. Marjorie Taylor Greene, in an interview, described her beliefs as "America First" rather than MAGA. Too much preference for corporate bosses and the Epstein affair caused the split. Impatience with the feckless Mike Johnson, the Marionette Speaker of the House, drove both Greene and Nancy Mace out of the tent.
Evidence of these divisions is rife. Steve Bannon seems confused by Trump's fluctuations with Xi Jinping, China's leader, and his offer to business associates to essentially enrich themselves. The War Room, Bannon's program, increasingly seems like an exercise in nostalgia with musings about the Religious Right in the 1980's. He forgets that Ronald Reagan gave them lip service and pushed an economic agenda not dissimilar to Trump's. Indeed, Reagan piloted his ship with an emphasis on pragmatism, not ideology.
Trump's leadership is similar to Reagan's in that he will try the aspirational side of an agenda until it is proven untenable. His dealings with China show his preference for securing a deal, even if it means scaling back his tariffs. As well, Trump is not antagonistic to artificial intelligence as MAGA faithful. As with Reagan, Trump wants to regain a broader base. To Bannon and others it is better to "stay the course" – the complete imposition of their agenda. Trump is inclined to talk tough and then split the difference.
Meanwhile, the President is rumored to be displeased with the selection of his cabinet. Kristy Noem, Robert Kennedy, Kash Patel, and Pete Hegseth appear to be all show and no go. Evidence of this is that Trump feels obligated to sell his program himself, with reduced faith in his government partners. Vice President J.D. Vance has virtually disappeared from the airwaves, and the return of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is an ominous sign for Bannon and associates. Trump feels more comfortable with fellow magnates such as Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, and his Mar-a-Lago friends.
This should come as no surprise, but it seems a mystery to those who are shocked to see their hero in such company. Trump is a businessman, not an ideologue. He considers himself the very essence of the movement, and his word goes. Ronald Reagan had no problems in cutting off the "new right" luminaries such as David Stockman and James Watt from his inner circle. Reagan, however, softened his blows with a sunny disposition and omnipresent jelly beans. But like Trump, he has little patience with those who hold out for top dollar.
Remember, Reagan's 1980 slogan was "Make America Great Again," the same as Trump's. But he had no problem showing those who displeased him the door. Perhaps Trump will do himself a favor and bring in the first team that resembles Bessent, Kushner, and Lutnick, and not starry-eyed, bloody-minded ideologues.