Explain how Trump has so much support (1 Viewer)

[Bayouboy]

I would like some layman answers to the question "How does Trump have so much support, right now"? The final two word are important context.

I somewhat understand how he became a "force" prior to the 2016 election. There were many factors that allowed him to gain steam. Anti-establishment and not being a true politician was a big turn on to some voters on the right at the time. He talked a good game and somehow found a way to the Presidency despite acting "unpresidential". Trump's time in office had some victories for the Republicans and the economy was humming prior to COVID.....but the shirt show that happened on a daily basis with him firing executive staff (that didn't agree with him) and the overall chaos that was the White House certainly should've had an effect on his supporters. This was all BEFORE losing the 2020 election and what ensued. What happened after the 2020 election is well documented and, in my opinion, should have buried him as a candidate for office for eternity.

With ALL of what happened since the 2020 election, how can he still have half of the country (give or take) as supporters? Had all the election denying, countless gaffs, and the attempt to circumvent the Constitution had not occurred and had he regrouped and formed a strategy to compete in 2024, I could see a lot of his supporters continuing to follow him and his message. But I can't get how so many Americans can overlook what happened in front of their own eyes. I am truly bewildered.

I realize this is a mostly left leaning community, so maybe you folks do not have a clue either but would like to hear opinions. Especially, if you still support Trump through all of the mess.

 

[coldseat]

Here is what I don’t get, and I suppose I never will. My BS meter pegged from the very first time I ever heard Trump speak. He’s so very obviously a liar, how is it that he fools people? His ignorance was just as obvious. I will never get it.

Neither will I. I've never gotten his appeal. It's all just obvious bullshiting and lies. We have a word for somebody like that in Spanish, Pendejo!

It really says a lot about the people who are attracted to him.

He's very much a vile version of a televangelist, which I never got the appeal of either. But the same type of people that used to love televangelist now love Trump. Whatever that gene is that makes people attracted to something like that, I don't have it.

 

[Ted]

Maybe a significant block of (R) voters refused to vote for Vice President Harris because too many of her supporters insisted that a vote for any (R) candidate was directly supporting Nazis and fascism.

Maybe a significant block of (D) voters refused to vote for Vice President Harris because they lost faith in President Biden and thought her policies would be a continuation of his.

I think President Trump's election was a result of many factors and that Vice President Harris actually performed as well as she could have given the massive lead she had to overcome when she entered the race.

 

[Booker]

He's very much a vile version of a televangelist...the same type of people that used to love televangelist now love Trump.

That's actually dead on.

 

[Dragon]

A friend on another board I am a member of send me this. Probably rather fitting in this thread

The Clock Nears Midnight

When facts and fictions blur as one,
And lies eclipse the morning sun,
The fragile thread of truth may fray,
And guide mankind the darker way.

Dreams of freedom, torn by greed,
Equality, crushed by power's creed.
Men and women torn apart,
Division sears the human heart.

The social contract lies in shards,
While hearts grow cold and spirits hard.
Forget we share the same design,
A thread of DNA entwined.

The hues of skin, the shades of eyes,
Should never spark where hatred lies.
Dictators dream of empires vast,
On blood-soaked bones of futures passed.

Yet even in despair, a spark,
A chance to turn away the dark.
To rise above, to heal, to mend,
Before the clock strikes final end.

 

[SFIDC3]

They don't care that he's a liar...at all.

Because his "policies" are so good, they are also liars....and they don't care as you say, he emboldens the worst of the worst to come out of their holes....

 

[faceman]

Because his "policies" are so good, they are also liars....and they don't care as you say, he emboldens the worst of the worst to come out of their holes....

Once again it's the cult of personality. Not many have it. According to some historians Trump is in rare air.
Washington,Jefferson,Jackson,both Roosevelts,JFK,and Ronald Reagan had it. That is all in our history. When he's
gone so is maga. The sad part for me is I'll be dead before normal returns

 

[bird]

Once again it's the cult of personality. Not many have it. According to some historians Trump is in rare air.
Washington,Jefferson,Jackson,both Roosevelts,JFK,and Ronald Reagan had it

 

[faceman]

be a white person and dance to the words

j/k people


know and understand their words. 36 years ahead of their time and what we are seeing now

 

[Optimus Prime]

Presidential elections are a mirror. Americans on the left and right—hooked on the outrage and intrigue our smartphones and screens consistently deliver—created a media environment that re-elected a president who embodies our perpetual indignation.

Donald Trump is not an aberration, but the culmination of our collective appetite that craves spectacle over substance. And we can't stop watching the messiness unfold as Trump has grown from reality TV star to influencer-in-chief.

Just as we brand ourselves on social media, curating our lives for likes and comments—crafting personas that reflect back what performs best—Trump craves the same validation. His rallies act as live focus groups, where he tests material—from nicknames like "Ron DeSanctimonious" to claims of immigrants eating four-legged friends, Trump tailors his approach to match his audience's appetites, creating a feedback loop of mutual validation.

As our lives are increasingly guided by algorithms, social media doesn't just show us who we are—it shapes who we become. We've trained our brains to see the world through this lens, to filter our opinions through what gets traction online. Is it any wonder that Trump rose to power in a country addicted to the spectacle of itself?

Trump leveraged our love of conflict and outrage, delivering a constant stream of scandals to keep us hooked. We gave him the attention he craved, and in doing so, we handed him free advertising. Outrage is a currency, and our engagement—even in anger, even in confusion—shifts the Overton window of what is acceptable.

Meanwhile, we neglected the quiet, unglamorous work of democracy—volunteering in our communities, engaging with local government, or calling our lawmakers with solutions to better the places we live. We chase correctness rabbits online, creating the appearance of activism while neglecting its substance.

When approximately half of adults in the U.S. lack literary proficiency, is it any surprise we elect leaders who speak in soundbites rather than solutions? According to Pew Research, 54 percent of U.S. adults consume news on social media at least sometimes, cultivating opinions based on algorithms that feed our preconceived notions and inflame our biases.

The result? Intellectual curiosity and rigor have been replaced by overconfidence in half-formed takes. Trump profits from and furthers our disdain for dialogue, expertise, and nuance—the inevitable result of a society that rewards surface-level engagement and punishes complexity.

As we run from meaningful engagement with our democracy, the institutions we rely on are struggling. Not because of a single man, but because we stopped showing up for them. We have lost faith in the systems that bind us together—governments, universities, local organizations—yet still expect them to serve us flawlessly. When they fail, we throw up our hands rather than rolling up our sleeves. But what's more damning than these failures is our apathy toward fixing them..............

America Gets the President We Deserve | Opinion

Donald Trump leveraged our love of conflict and outrage, delivering a constant stream of scandals to keep us hooked. We gave him the attention he craved, and in doing so, we handed him free advertising.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Dragon]

In Europe, the most important qualification companies seek, according to the latest research (2024), is the ability to function effectively in a team-oriented environment. With modern tools like AI and instant access to information, this skill has even surpassed the value of factual knowledge.

A significant reason for this shift is the emphasis in European schools on "learning to learn" rather than rote memorization or mastering specific tools. Since tools and facts are constantly changing and evolving, the ability to adapt, learn quickly, and collaborate in teams has become far more critical than merely acquiring static knowledge.

This approach profoundly influences how children are taught. The focus in schools is on team performance rather than individual achievements, as well as on fostering understanding, critical thinking, and the ability to evaluate knowledge. Memorizing facts for exams takes a back seat to developing these more dynamic skills.

When education prioritizes rote memorization over teaching students how to learn, it becomes easier to indoctrinate both children and adults. This concern is one reason certain political groups, such as U.S. Republicans, advocate for overhauling the education system. They aim to steer away from fostering critical thinking and creativity, favoring a system that limits "thinking outside the box."

 

[Scoutster]

Trump is the president now! That is the reality we all have to deal with for the next four years. Whining and griping is not gonna get you anywhere.

 

[Taurus]

Trump is the president now! That is the reality we all have to deal with for the next four years. Whining and griping is not gonna get you anywhere.

Sad comment on America that it is, you aren't wrong.

Though I put the odds of a full four years at 45% or so. He's old, fat and increasingly unhinged. Not to mention the powers behind him loathe him personally and have little reason to keep him around.

 

[bird]

Sad comment on America that it is, you aren't wrong.

Though I put the odds of a full four years at 45% or so. He's old, fat and increasingly unhinged. Not to mention the powers behind him loathe him personally and have little reason to keep him around.

I see the potential for the use of the 25th amendment by the powers behind the throne. I don’t know if it will happen but I would be unsurprised.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Trump is the president now! That is the reality we all have to deal with for the next four years. Whining and griping is not gonna get you anywhere.

Don't worry his dementia will limit that.

 

[Optimus Prime]

I see the potential for the use of the 25th amendment by the powers behind the throne. I don’t know if it will happen but I would be unsurprised.

It will be interesting but I'd say it probably won't happen for the same reason Trump was elected both times:

GOP is terrified of the MAGA base

The people witnessed Trump get convicted of sexual assault, defrauding New York City and 34 felonies they didn’t care

The people saw Trump talk about sharks and electrocutions, saw him sway to music for 40 minutes, heard him say immigrant's were eating pets, heard him talk about Arnold Palmer's dick for 5 straight minutes and supported him anyway, the GOP saw that support and in turn supported Trump themselves

I think the MAGA bases support his absolutely genuine. They love them some Trump and love him unconditionally.

I have no doubt that there is a certain percentage (maybe a large one) of elected true believers, but despite their slurping in the media I think a lot of Trump's public GOP support is of the "way the wind is blowing, and writing on the wall" variety

I don't think they want any part of the total apocalyptic firestorm that would erupt if they tried to forcibly remove Trump from office no matter how bad he/it gets

That's exactly why they didn't impeach after Jan 6th.

What was supposed to happen was the people were supposed to move on from Trump, if for no other reason than people always move on from the losing candidate. GOP wanted him gone, but didn't want to be the reason he was gone

And Trump gave people a shirt ton of reasons to move on from him

The GOP knew there were charges/trials on the horizon on top of that (if Garland started the process sooner, the trails weren't delayed, if any judge other than Cannon was chosen, if the Georgia trial isn't derailed maybe things would have been different)

I think the GOP powers that be was as surprised as anyone at Trump's resurrection

 

[Optimus Prime]

The last time Donald Trump was president, he travelled to Youngstown, Ohio, among the most depressed of America’s rust belt cities, and promised voters the impossible.

The high-paying steel, railroad and car industry jobs that once made Youngstown a hard-living, hard-drinking blue collar boom town were coming back, he said.

“Don’t move. Don’t sell your house,” he crowed to a rapturous crowd in 2017. “We’re going to fill up those factories – or rip ”em down and build brand new ones.”

None of that happened. Indeed, within 18 months, General Motors (GM) announced that it was suspending operations at its one remaining manufacturing plant outside Youngstown, throwing 5,000 jobs into jeopardy in a community with little else to cling to.

Trump’s reaction was to say the closure didn’t matter, because the jobs would be replaced “in, like, two minutes”.

That, too, did not happen. People moved away, marriages broke down, depression soared and, locals say, a handful of people took their own lives.

Ordinarily, politicians who promise the moon and fail to deliver get punished at the ballot box. But that did not happen to Trump either.

Instead, he has steadily built up his popularity in Youngstown, a city that was once a well-oiled Democratic party machine but has now turned into one of his most remarkable bases of working-class support.

“Does [Trump] understand at all what you’re going through?” Joe Biden asked Ohio votersduring the 2020 presidential campaign, referring directly to the GM closure. “Does he see you where you are and where you want to be? Does he care?”

To which the answer, in Youngstown, has been an astonishing and vigorous “yes”……..

Now they see the same virtues – and the same flaws – in Trump. As Acierno explained: “The Democrats and the Republicans are all a den of crooks. Only one side lies about being crooks, and one doesn’t. If you’re going to be a crook, I’d rather know it than be lied to.”

Trump, in other words, comes across as someone who doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what he is, and that perceived authenticity counts for more with many Youngstown voters than his character flaws or even his policy positions. They’d rather have his gut instincts, ugly as they often are, over the carefully scripted messaging of a Democrat like Kamala Harris or even a mainstream Republican.

Tex Fischer, a Republican state representative who cut his teeth working on Mitt Romney’s doomed 2012 presidential campaign, said Trump had done the party a huge favour by ripping the old order apart because it chimed with voters’ anti-establishment instincts and gave them real hope for the change they thirst for.

“When Romney came to Youngstown,” Fischer recalled, “he wore blue jeans and rolled up his sleeves, and nobody bought it. Trump doesn’t pretend – here he comes in his suit and tie and gold jewellery, and people respect that.”…..

‘There are a lot of bitter people here, I’m one of them’: rust belt voters on why they backed Trump again despite his broken promises

Many in Youngstown, Ohio, believe the president-elect will tackle the town’s decline this time. Others are worried about his character flaws. Their concerns help explain how he returned to power – and how his second term might play out

www.theguardian.com

 

[cuddlemonkey]

The last time Donald Trump was president, he travelled to Youngstown, Ohio, among the most depressed of America’s rust belt cities, and promised voters the impossible.

The high-paying steel, railroad and car industry jobs that once made Youngstown a hard-living, hard-drinking blue collar boom town were coming back, he said.

“Don’t move. Don’t sell your house,” he crowed to a rapturous crowd in 2017. “We’re going to fill up those factories – or rip ”em down and build brand new ones.”

None of that happened. Indeed, within 18 months, General Motors (GM) announced that it was suspending operations at its one remaining manufacturing plant outside Youngstown, throwing 5,000 jobs into jeopardy in a community with little else to cling to.

Trump’s reaction was to say the closure didn’t matter, because the jobs would be replaced “in, like, two minutes”.

That, too, did not happen. People moved away, marriages broke down, depression soared and, locals say, a handful of people took their own lives.

Ordinarily, politicians who promise the moon and fail to deliver get punished at the ballot box. But that did not happen to Trump either.

Instead, he has steadily built up his popularity in Youngstown, a city that was once a well-oiled Democratic party machine but has now turned into one of his most remarkable bases of working-class support.

“Does [Trump] understand at all what you’re going through?” Joe Biden asked Ohio votersduring the 2020 presidential campaign, referring directly to the GM closure. “Does he see you where you are and where you want to be? Does he care?”

To which the answer, in Youngstown, has been an astonishing and vigorous “yes”……..

Now they see the same virtues – and the same flaws – in Trump. As Acierno explained: “The Democrats and the Republicans are all a den of crooks. Only one side lies about being crooks, and one doesn’t. If you’re going to be a crook, I’d rather know it than be lied to.”

Trump, in other words, comes across as someone who doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what he is, and that perceived authenticity counts for more with many Youngstown voters than his character flaws or even his policy positions. They’d rather have his gut instincts, ugly as they often are, over the carefully scripted messaging of a Democrat like Kamala Harris or even a mainstream Republican.

Tex Fischer, a Republican state representative who cut his teeth working on Mitt Romney’s doomed 2012 presidential campaign, said Trump had done the party a huge favour by ripping the old order apart because it chimed with voters’ anti-establishment instincts and gave them real hope for the change they thirst for.

“When Romney came to Youngstown,” Fischer recalled, “he wore blue jeans and rolled up his sleeves, and nobody bought it. Trump doesn’t pretend – here he comes in his suit and tie and gold jewellery, and people respect that.”…..

‘There are a lot of bitter people here, I’m one of them’: rust belt voters on why they backed Trump again despite his broken promises

Many in Youngstown, Ohio, believe the president-elect will tackle the town’s decline this time. Others are worried about his character flaws. Their concerns help explain how he returned to power – and how his second term might play out

www.theguardian.com

At some point, people are beyond help. Either they figure it out for themselves or they'll keep getting fleeced.