Cult of the Rich, White Bigot

Trump’s relationship with his base mirrors the dynamic between fundamentalist pastors and their congregations, fostering a dangerous, authoritarian allegiance that threatens the pluralist, democratic fabric of the United States. This parallel, rooted in psychological manipulation and religious fervor, amplifies division and undermines the nation’s commitment to reason, diversity, and governance by consent. Like a fundamentalist pastor, Trump commands unwavering loyalty from his staff and supporters, cultivating a cult-like devotion that echoes the authoritarian expectations outlined in Araya Baker’s framework of religious fundamentalism. His base, much like a congregation, views him as an infallible leader whose pronouncements are truths to be followed without question. This mirrors Baker’s description of fundamentalism’s “unquestioned dominion” of leaders and “total subordinance” of followers. Trump’s rhetoric—replete with apocalyptic warnings of a nation under siege by “enemies” (immigrants, liberals, the media)—parallels the fundamentalist “spiritual battle” against a demonized “them.” His promises to “take back” America resonate with the Christian nationalist narrative, as described by Tim Alberta, which falsely claims the US was founded as a Christian nation now corrupted by secular pluralism. This narrative, peddled by figures like David Barton, fuels a sense of divine mission among supporters, casting Trump as a savior figure tasked with restoring a mythologized, white, patriarchal order.

Bandy X. Lee’s analysis of abusive dynamics further illuminates this relationship. Trump, like an abuser, overwhelms his “victims”—the public and his base—through chaos and fear, issuing arbitrary edicts, dismantling safety nets, and flouting legal norms. His base, conditioned to see him as their protector, becomes a flock of complicit enablers, akin to the “flying monkeys” or “pawns” Lee describes in narcissistic power structures. This dynamic is evident in their dismissal of his legal violations or inflammatory rhetoric as “fake news” or justified rebellion. Lee’s observation that victims may “identify with the aggressor” to cope explains why some supporters embrace Trump’s aggression, seeing it as empowerment against a world they perceive as hostile.

This relationship is profoundly unhealthy for a pluralist federal democratic republic, which thrives on compromise, diversity, and rational discourse. Trump’s fundamentalist-like grip on his base fosters division and intolerance, rejecting the pluralism Baker identifies as anathema to fundamentalism. His supporters’ belief in a singular, “valid” vision of America—white, Christian, and conservative—echoes the in-group favoritism and xenophobia Baker associates with fundamentalist ideologies. This mindset fuels policies and rhetoric that marginalize minorities, undermine reproductive and racial justice, and vilify dissent, as seen in the base’s embrace of restrictive immigration policies or attacks on democratic institutions.

The danger is amplified by the base’s susceptibility to misinformation, a trait Baker links to fundamentalism’s anti-intellectualism and gullibility to conspiracies. Trump’s false claims of election fraud in 2020, embraced by millions, led to the January 6 Capitol insurrection, a stark example of how this dynamic can destabilize democracy. Alberta’s warning about the “toxic brew” of MAGA politics, bad theology, and misreadings of scripture underscores how this fusion of religious zeal and militant partisanship can justify violence and authoritarianism. The Southern Baptist Convention’s historical ties to slavery and ongoing racial tensions, as Alberta notes, highlight how such ideologies can perpetuate systemic harm under the guise of divine will.

Moreover, Trump’s ability to turn democratic institutions into enablers mirrors the fundamentalist leader’s control over their flock. Lee’s critique of Democratic leaders as facilitators—avoiding aggressive resistance to preserve power—shows how the broader political system can become complicit in normalizing this abuse. This erodes the checks and balances essential to a republic, allowing Trump to operate with impunity, as seen in his defiance of legal accountability and public norms.

Trump is radicalizing his flock, and appears to be in the process of transforming his violent supporters into a private army akin to Hitler’s Brownshirts. By pardoning over 1,500 January 6 rioters and elevating them as “patriots” at Republican events, Trump is cultivating a loyal, militant force. These individuals, celebrated despite assaulting police and breaching the Capitol, are poised to act as an adjunct to the masked, unidentified gunmen—operating under ICE’s auspices—who have been abducting and deporting hundreds of legal residents, in violation of the US Constitution’s Article I Section 9, as well as the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Amendments. Trump’s clemency and platforming of rioters, coupled with his stochastic terrorism (naming “enemies” like political opponents or minorities), incentivizes further violence. Protected and rewarded, these followers will be happy, if not eager, to commit further illegal acts, believing they serve a divine cause. This cult-like loyalty, fueled by Trump’s narrative of a stolen nation, threatens our pluralist democracy by normalizing political violence and eroding the rule of law. As historian Matt Dallek warns, this mainstreaming of violence risks escalating into something worse, with Trump’s “army” undermining elections and civic institutions.

A Path Forward
If the US Congress and judiciary are unwilling or unable to enforce the recent court order to return the 200+ people deported to El Salvador’s CECOT concentration camp last month, or remove Trump from office, thus formalizing the republic’s de facto constitutional crisis, its survival as a pluralist democracy may depend, in the short-term, on nationwide strikes that are large and prolonged enough to bring the country to a standstill. In the long-term, the republic’s survival depends on breaking the cycle of abuse and fundamentalism. Dialogue that embraces reason, empathy and pluralism might help the MAGA base recognize the predatory nature of Trump’s power, and how—far from having their best interests in mind—he will ultimately destroy them. This requires acknowledging the psychological and cultural forces at play, and promoting a spirituality that values individual autonomy over authoritarian control. Only through such efforts can the nation preserve its democratic experiment against the existential threat posed by this unhealthy, dangerous dynamic. Who or what can break Trump’s psychological grip hold on his true believers, though, remains a mystery.