Political scientist: disputes among Trump supporters could weaken Republicans' position in upcoming elections

Conflicts are growing within the MAGA movement, which could weaken support for the policies of the current administration and President Donald Trump.

This was stated in a comment to Ukrinform by American political scientist and Rutgers University professor Alexander Motyl.

According to him, the current situation has been influenced by recent scandals, in particular those surrounding the Young Republicans, who expressed their admiration for Hitler, controversial interviews with pro-Russian commentator Tucker Carlson, the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the conflict between the president and far-right populist Marjorie Taylor Greene, and others. Motyl believes that even some of the president's previously “almost fanatical” supporters have begun to distance themselves from the administration's policies.

The analyst stressed that the MAGA movement “was a huge umbrella” that united very different people, and the only factor that held them together was their loyalty to Trump. Now it is weakening, and disagreements on political issues are coming to the fore. In his opinion, “the lines of conflict within the movement will grow.”

Assessing the prospects for the upcoming midterm elections to Congress, Motyl noted that Democrats could show strong results and potentially win a majority in one or even both chambers. He emphasized that historically, the incumbent president's party usually loses in midterm elections, and the critical attitude toward the current administration's policies among many Americans could exacerbate Republican losses. The analyst also suggested that in the event of defeat, Republicans could question the election results.

At the same time, Motyl dismissed the possibility of a representative of radical left-wing or socialist forces winning the next presidential election, stressing that “serious radical left-wing politics simply isolates Democrats and guarantees their defeat.”

As reported, the midterm elections to the US Congress will take place on November 3, 2026. Americans will elect the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate (33 senators out of 100).

Photo provided by Alexander Motyl