President Donald Trump has been testing the loyalty of his MAGA base on a number of issues, but so far his right-wing loyalists haven't abandoned him.
The president's base supporters haven't been happy with his attack on Iran or the resumption of weapons support for Ukraine, and many have been angered by his Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and his seeming softness on immigration, reported The Hill.
“The administration seems to be dealing with reality," said Republican strategist Matt Bartlett, who served in the State Department during Trump’s first term. "You can call it hypocrisy. You can call it backtracking. I think it’s just a reality of the world, where some in the base are just so deeply wed to not just positions, but to conspiracy theories.”
Trump promised mass deportations on Day One, but some of his supporters are furious that courts have blocked some of his moves, and he has acknowledged that some “serious radical-right people” might not be happy that his administration could carve out exceptions for agricultural workers.
“Even those MAGA voters, some of these businesses do have employees that are undocumented," said GOP strategist Ron Bonjean. "Where are you going to draw the line? And right now, if you’re a MAGA supporter, probably the answer is: deport everyone. But Trump’s running into a problem [with] how businesses and farms operate … without those employees."
No matter how frustrated his base might get over specific policy issues, they haven't abandoned him yet and tend to blame others – whether it's attorney general Pam Bondi for the Epstein matter or "warmongers" for the Iran attack – for the rifts.
“I think that’s the way most of the MAGA movement is going to treat it,” said GOP strategist Brian Darling. “They’re not going to like the way this was handled, but I think they’re still going to be very loyal to the president and continue to support him.”
The real test will come in next year's midterm elections, when the Republican Party seeks to hold on to its majorities in the House and Senate.
“You could argue that the midterms are always tough for the party in power — that’s no secret — and that potentially you’re alienating some of these Republicans who may not turn out in a midterm election,” said GOP strategist Brian Seitchik.