MAGA's siege mentality shadows Trump's "Golden Age"

TAMPA, Fla. — Suspicion is rippling through the MAGA movement, clouding a historic run of conservative victories meant to lay the foundation for President Trump's "Golden Age."Why it matters: Even at the apex of power, MAGA's populist base remains convinced that shadowy forces are working to unravel its every gain. Trump's recent actions — especially his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case — have only hardened those fears.Driving the news: At Turning Point USA's Student Action Summit over the weekend, the mood among Trump's most loyal supporters was celebratory on the surface — but crackling with anxiety underneath.Speakers and attendees hailed Trump's dominance over the GOP, the passage of his legislative agenda, and his mass deportation blitz as proof that MAGA is winning.But fears of collapse loomed large: Even with Democrats in shambles, MAGA's leaders warned that the "Deep State," globalist elites, and internal traitors were plotting to undo everything Trump has built.Zoom in: The Justice Department's stunning decision to close the Epstein case — and Trump's claim that "nobody cares" about the deceased sex trafficker — dominated discourse at the Turning Point summit.For arguably the first time since Trump founded the MAGA movement 10 years ago, activists warned that the president was out of step with his own base.The scene was remarkable: Trump's most influential allies, gathered at a conference to toast his presidency, openly speculated whether the administration was engaged in a cover-up.Between the lines: The belief that powerful elites covered up Epstein's crimes speaks directly to the MAGA movement's core identity.For some activists, Trump's attempt to dismiss the scandal is a direct challenge to the worldview that brought them into the movement.Top Trump ally Steve Bannon warned that the administration could "lose 10% of the MAGA movement" over the Epstein saga — enough, he said, to cost Republicans 40 House seats in 2026.The other side: "We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein," Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post defending Attorney General Pam Bondi.The big picture: Beyond Epstein, MAGA is constantly on guard against what it sees as creeping betrayals — both from within Trump's orbit and across the broader conservative establishment.Ukraine: Trump rolled out a new plan Monday to funnel arms to Kyiv through European allies — a major shift in policy toward a conflict that MAGA constantly warns could escalate into "World War III." Iran: Trump's decision to join Israel in bombing Iran's nuclear facilities last month shattered hopes among MAGA's isolationist wing that he would steer clear of another Middle East entanglement.Immigration: Even as Trump ramps up his mass deportations, MAGA hardliners have sounded the alarm over potential "amnesty" for undocumented migrants working in the agriculture and hospitality industries.What they're saying: "There's a war-like mentality to everybody in the America First movement in that they live in a bunker. They're ready to turn the war machine back on at a moment to be on guard," Breitbart Washington Bureau Chief Matt Boyle told Axios earlier this month."I do think it's sometimes hard for some people to accept the fact that we're winning."Reality check: It's not all doom and gloom. Many in the MAGA movement still view Trump as a singular force — even a divinely chosen one — capable of restoring America to its former greatness."I am as committed to exposure on Jeffrey Epstein as you are, but let's not lose sight of the most successful presidency in American history," veteran Trump confidante Roger Stone told Tampa attendees.By Monday, signs were emerging that Trump's MAGA media allies — including Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk — were toning down their Epstein coverage at the president's request.🌴 The bottom line: For a movement born out of deep skepticism toward domestic and foreign institutions, MAGA has never truly let its guard down.Its distrust of globalism, multiculturalism, and the "deep state" remains a defining feature — even as it celebrates its greatest political victories."I think that opposition to these forces will always be there so long as they're causing harm to the American people," Terry Schilling, founder of American Principles Project, told Axios.

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