Do a little Googling of the phrase “what’s a cult?” and you might be less-than-shocked to find a certain political group dancing on the knife’s edge of wacky justifications for enduring blind capitalism dressed as “fuck you, pay me.” Throughout history, we've watched leaders rise to power, only to wonder later how sensible people missed the warning signs—like maybe rocking matching Nikes while waiting for the mothership wasn't such a great idea after all.
I've always been suspicious of cults: the robes, the weird chanting, the blind devotion to some leader who insists reality is whatever he says it is. But lately, I've realized you don't need robes or incense to start a cult. A red hat and a catchy slogan do just fine.
America is experiencing a weird phenomenon: the Right has become a frothed mouth, glassy eyed death cult uniting under the tent revival of the absurd. And within their fervor, they’ve adopted Donald Trump as an infallible leader, who Christ has saved, despite Christ’s teaching going against literally everything Trump is for. It’s as if the golden calf from Exodus swapped out its hooves for golf shoes. MAGA faithful celebrate Trump, a leader whose entire gospel consists of vanity, greed, and vengeance, traits you'd think Jesus flipping tables in the temple might've been warning against. A prophet, Trump is not, he’s more concerned with PROFIT.
Signs you’re in a cult: 1) Leader is infallible, 2) Dissent is treason, 3) Reality is negotiable. MAGA: 3/3.
Cults generally form around charismatic leadership, unmet emotional needs, and powerful group dynamics. And as the second coming of Trumpism barrels through American history, ripping out pages and pissing on those that came before, asking whether MAGA qualifies as a cult is no longer just rhetorical. Sure, there's no official rule book defining what makes someone a follower—but when blind loyalty replaces reason, the question is answered. A Jonestown survivor, Deborah Layton, put it this way: "Nobody joins a cult. Nobody joins something they think is going to hurt them. You join a religious organization or a political movement, or you start following a charismatic leader because it seems positive. It seems healthy. It seems life-affirming—and that's exactly how it gets you."
I’ve lost a lot of friends to the cult of Trump. People I’ve shared bad times with, they’re just off on a different planet of reality. I’ve been blocked for being a journalist, for not agreeing with what they say, for providing sources in arguments only for everything non-Fox News to be called lies.
I firmly believe MAGA is a cult. Sure, this will likely put me on the list of those who get the pillowcase put over their heads and shot in front of the cinder block wall, but while we've still got the chance to use the First Amendment, smoke 'em if ya got 'em. Every day, and for almost the last decade, we've endured a part of the population so obsessed with one man it becomes a self-identifying rat trap of "look at me" because the typical MAGA-obsessed sycophant demands you never see "the other" but only them. The finger point goes beyond their beliefs, straying into paper-thin narratives against Democrats and how "woke" has rotted the central core of American values. Sure, have Dems gone goofy, losing the working class in the process? Yeah, obviously. But what's wild as hell is the absolute devotion to one man, viewing his stigmas as badges of honor, even in the face of reality, saying, "Nah. He's my scumbag."
When Trump lost the gig to Biden, his people cited that the whole thing was fixed. That the election was stolen, of course without literally any proof. Bernie Bros felt the same way when he was screwed out of the job when the Dem elite basically told him to hit the road. That sucked for progressives, but it is what it is when the political game of craps that we play is the standard against reality. People who suck get the job while others who deserve it get the shaft and then there’s Donald Trump, reality show host who knows how to make good tv and get under the skin of people who want more of a reality that’s never existed.
And of course, people are pissed. Wages stayed in the gutter for decades while CEOs cashed out. Small towns got gutted by Walmart and opioids. The media lied about Iraq, banks crashed the economy and walked away rich. Trump didn’t fix any of that. He sold a story where the villains were immigrants and ‘elites’—while giving billionaires tax cuts and hiring Exxon’s CEO as Secretary of State. Making you cheer as he handed your wallet to the guys who robbed you is a fucked up way to say thanks to the people who elected you, yet it happened.
Because capitalism has ensured class war remains alive and well, many people seek a great leader to lead them from shipping docks to the boardroom. The problem is that ain't happening. They have a better chance of slinging beefy wieners from a hot dog stand than rubbing elbows with someone who refers to humans as "the help." Dr. Bryant Welch, clinical psychologist and author of "State of Confusion," notes, "The psychological condition of many Americans—marked by escalating anxiety about economic security, cultural change, and perceived loss of status—created perfect conditions for cult-like attachment. When people are anxious enough, a leader who proclaims 'Only I can fix it' becomes psychologically irresistible." Hence, Trump socks paired with matching truck nuts – sick, bro.
Dr. Steven Hassan, cult expert, mental health counselor, and former Moonie cult member, states, "What's happening with Trump is the culmination of a cultish aspect that has been part of the American psyche for a long time. He exhibits the same stereotypical behaviors of a cult leader: narcissism, lying, creating an alternative reality, demanding absolute loyalty, devaluing critics, and creating fear of leaving the group." Pass the Trump-brand Eucharist.
Trump's centrality is evident—he still throws rallies to keep people engaged, and his followers' devotion surpasses typical cult dynamics. Consider even something as simple as a hat with the slogan "Make America Great Again," made in China. Nick Fuentes, far-right activist and commentator, praised the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade, stating, "Banning gay marriage is back on the menu, banning sodomy is back on the menu, banning contraceptives is back on the menu, and basically we're having something like Taliban rule in America, in a good way." A 2023 University of Chicago/AP-NORC poll found that 20% of Americans (and 33% of Republicans) believe that "patriots may have to resort to violence to save our country"—a dangerous indicator of how political tribalism has evolved beyond typical democratic disagreement.
Writing this feels pointless. No one who has a "FUCK YOUR FEELINGS – TRUMP" flag is going to admit, "Wow, you're right, I worship a false idol preying on my weaker mental and emotional instincts," so I'm likely writing for myself, for the echo chamber who can read and think critically. Still, here are commonly accepted traits of a cult leader: highly persuasive, magnetic individuals whose fans fly flags bearing their names on boats and trucks like it's an exclusive club for assholes. According to the Reuters Institute, people primarily consuming partisan news sources were 4.5 times more likely to believe misinformation aligned with their political views. David Frum, GOP politico said, "When you demand total loyalty to a leader, not principles, you’re not a movement—you’re a fan club with a body count." You don't say.
"Us vs. Them" at Scale MAGA thrives on division: Patriots vs. traitors, Americans vs. "globalists," loyalists vs. "RINOs," fueling paranoia with fallacies like immigrants stealing jobs or Trans kids using litter boxes. It exploits fear, appealing to people who feel alienated or disillusioned, even against their self-interests. Hannah Arendt argued that "The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction and the distinction between true and false no longer exist."
Trump excels at manipulating minds, blurring common sense. Currently, the Hegseth incident underscores this. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared detailed military strike plans against Houthi militants in an unclassified Signal group chat. Compounding this, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz mistakenly added Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, exposing sensitive operational details. Senators Roger Wicker and Jack Reed urged the Pentagon to investigate, emphasizing national security compromise. Remember the classic riff from 2016, "BUT HER EMAILS!" If this were anyone else, Dollar Tree wouldn't overlook such incompetence. This is turning a blind eye at its most daming. If the cult wasn’t so in love with the administration, they’d have opinions against something so flatly egregious but in the Vatican of Donald, this is a simple case of “boys will be boys” as the judge on the Simpsons said when Bart and Milhouse continually got into trouble, once knocking over an entire warehouse.
When people are anxious enough, a leader who proclaims 'Only I can fix it' becomes psychologically irresistible." Hence, Trump socks paired with matching truck nuts – sick, bro.
The media ecosystem, Fox News and Newsmax, isolates followers, labeling external viewpoints hearsay. A 2020 study found conservative media consumers get 93% of their news from right-leaning sources. Reality becomes compromised based on reverent love for Trump's word. MAGA offers belonging and acceptance through shared dislikes and bonding through grievances more than good deeds.
Signs you’re in a cult: 1) Leader is infallible, 2) Dissent is treason, 3) Reality is negotiable. MAGA: 3/3.
Dr. Janja Lalich, Professor Emerita and cult expert, states, "When you have a leader who cannot be questioned, whose word is law, and who is considered the only path to salvation—whether political, spiritual, or otherwise—you're looking at fundamental cult dynamics. What's unique about MAGA is scaling these dynamics to millions through modern media." There's literally a Trump Burger restaurant in Texas. Name another political figure whose fandom feels closer to a shitty sports team than political affiliation. When Trump demanded supporters ‘fight like hell’ on Jan. 6, they did. Not for policy, for him. Cults don’t rally for tax reform; they storm castles for kings.
Clear, Simple Ideology MAGA simplifies complex problems: Anyone not like you is ruining your life. Trump discourages independent thought through rituals, group pressure, and brand loyalty. Democrats may struggle to fight their way out of a two-way door, but MAGA uses fear and guilt as loyalty mechanisms—serious WACO-Koresh territory.
Arendt's quote from "The Origins of Totalitarianism" emphasizes this mindset: "Mass propaganda discovered that its audience was ready at all times to believe the worst, no matter how absurd, and did not particularly object to being deceived because it held every statement to be a lie anyhow." We're not debating McDonald's vs. Burger King; neighbors who once helped fix your truck now exchange stink eyes over voting choices—a prevailing occurrence for many folks.
In February 2023, Texas State Senator Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) filed a bill (SB 233) to designate a portion of State Highway Loop 110 in Longview, Texas, as the "President Donald J. Trump Highway." The guy ain’t even taking the dirt nap yet. Slow your roll Hughes. We get it. You want to smooch his balls.
MAGA isn't just a bizarre spectacle—it actively threatens our democracy. When millions genuinely believe violence is justified to 'save America,' the joke isn't funny anymore. What felt like a counter-cultural ruse to poke fun at America's brokeness; well, everything has become a scary joke, considering the people who took up the mantle refuse to call out that stuff, which is pretty insane right now. Letting Elon Musk be a chainsaw-wielding freak on the national stage is far from objective, controlled behavior of the most powerful country on earth, but instead, Love is Blind feels like a safer representation of a value set, and that's just fucking bleak.
Steve Schmidt, ex-GOP strategist said the coldest shit ever regarding MAGA, "The GOP is now a terrorist movement. I helped build this party, and I’m telling you: It’s gone."
So tell me: What’s the line? Would you donate your kid’s college fund if he asked? Would you turn in your neighbor for ‘disloyalty’? If the answer is ‘Nothing—I’m ride or die,’ then congrats. You’re not a citizen. You’re a congregant.
But after all of this, you may think it's a big ask to label MAGA a cult. Sure, if the red hat fits, wear it.
If you’re like, “fuck this guy is a good ass writer.” Please consider subscribing to my SubStack or stalk me on Instagram. Either way, thanks for reading. (Chances are this will make it into my new poltical book, Defensive Wounds.)
