Historian flags signs 'MAGA is coming apart'
An electronic sign displays the message "Leaving Maga?..Good You're Not Alone" above Times Square in Manhattan, in New York City, U.S., July 30, 2026. REUTERS/Mike Segar
August 13, 2026
Historian Heather Cox Richardson warned President Donald Trump's political coalition is falling apart.
In her latest video, Richardson cited mounting evidence of weakness both domestically and internationally.
"MAGA certainly seems to be coming apart in a lot of different ways," she said. "And what we're seeing come together is a new kind of larger democratic tent."
Domestically, Richardson cited Trump-backed candidates Mike Lindell and Rep. Andy Ogles losing primaries by significant margins as indicators of his waning endorsement power.
She also noted staff departures, including White House counsel and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, stemming from aides' reluctance to engage in legally risky activities. Additionally, she highlighted Trump's declining approval rate, explaining most Americans now describe Trump as dishonest and too old for the job and view the country as out of control.
Internationally, Trump "looks completely weak," with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly breaking with him and Iran dominating negotiations.
Richardson attributed the coalition collapse to Trump's failed 2024 promise of a "permanent realignment," arguing he couldn't hold together white supremacists, Latino voters, and young people simultaneously.
"Trump was promising everything to everybody," she said, "and it was not going to be possible."
Watch the video below.