Electoral Defeat Pushes Right to Consider Post-Trump Era

Washington – AFP, Reuters – Has the countdown finally begun for the decline of the “MAGA” movement’s popularity? Is the American right prepared to abandon the “Make America Great Again” slogan and Donald Trump’s populist doctrine, returning instead to a more traditional conservative approach?

Following a crushing defeat in the midterm elections, which revolved entirely around one man, many Republicans have begun to contemplate the party’s future and Trump’s role, if he still has one, in reshaping that future.

As his presidency enters its final two years, allies of Trump and strategic experts have called for sweeping changes in the White House staff, a restoration of discipline, and the abandonment of policies for which they hold him responsible, including the Iran war and tariffs.

“He needs to carry out a comprehensive purge. With each passing day from now on, his position will grow weaker and weaker.”

However, Trump has shown no significant indication that he views the election results as warranting a change in course.

The Wall Street Journal, whose opinion pages are led by the traditionalist right wing, has called for a “self-examination,” urging the abandonment of rhetoric based on extreme nationalism and identity politics—the very rhetoric that brought the 80-year-old Trump back to power.

The newspaper argued that “imposing tariffs and mass deportations are no substitute for genuine income growth, and courting Trump’s base is no substitute for wooing Hispanic voters, independents, and suburban swing voters who abandoned the party on Tuesday.”

According to a senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, top aides are preparing for staff departures and potential changes in the administration, alongside investigations expected to be demanded by Democrats.

“Morale is at an all-time low.”

The official clarified that internal polls warned six weeks before the election that Republicans were heading for losses in both the House and the Senate, but Trump refused to change course on Iran despite warnings about the political consequences.

He added, “Ultimately, he didn’t care at all. He refused to listen to anyone.”

Republican concerns extended beyond the war. A Republican political consultant stated that in focus groups held to concentrate on tight Senate races in areas such as Michigan and Iowa, anxiety among Republican political consultants nationwide had been rising throughout the summer as more Republican and independent voters expressed opposition to the president’s focus on issues such as the White House dance hall and renovation projects in Washington.

The consultant added, “If Trump spends the next two years talking about the same trivialities, we will suffer another crushing defeat in the next elections.”

Amid all this, Trump gathered journalists on Wednesday to tour the construction site of the dance hall and defended the time he had dedicated to this project.

“For me, this is a source of relief,” he said.

The White House also adopted a defiant tone, posting an image of the Republican president with a stern expression accompanied by the phrase “Trump is still your president,” signaling his continued presence in office until January 2029.

However, the train of American politics knows no stopping; Wednesday also marked the actual start of the 2028 presidential campaign, which will culminate in a vote to choose Trump’s successor.

No conceivable scenario could have seen Trump emerge from the midterm elections in a stronger position.

The overwhelming defeat suffered by Republicans on Tuesday evening, which far exceeded even the most optimistic expectations of Democrats, accelerated Trump’s loss of influence.

Vice President J.D. Vance, who is considered a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election, was careful to avoid clashing with his boss. In a lengthy post on X on Wednesday that resembled an article, he argued that “the reason for our loss is the war,” adding, “The president himself said that.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the event as an “extinction-level” threat for the Republican Party, suggesting they may have to wait until 2032 to regain control of Congress.

Former Congresswoman and far-right figure Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has turned against Trump, stated that “if the Republican Party wants to have any chance in the future, it must expel Donald Trump from the party.” She added, “No more endless wars... And regarding the economy, which is the top issue, policies that help ordinary people rather than special interests should be adopted,” noting that “immigration laws should be enforced rationally.”

However, at present, criticisms remain relatively muted, and only a few conservative figures, both moderates and extremists, have directly attacked Trump by name.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Amy Dacey, a former Democratic official now working as an expert at an American university, said, “The big question is: Will some Republican leaders in the House and Senate distance themselves from Trump?”

The same applies to far-right influencers whose fame and financial earnings are tied to Trump’s popularity.

Dacey noted that the crushing defeat might weaken their influence, “but it will in no way eliminate those associated with the Make America Great Again movement.”

Some influencers from the MAGA-aligned digital army have tried to steer accountability elsewhere.

Jack Posobiec wrote on X, “Great job, Neocons,” referring to the neoconservative current within the Republican Party, known for advocating military interventionist foreign policies and hardline stances toward Iran.

On the same platform, former Congressman Bob Good said, “We need to start acknowledging that Trump was and still is the problem. Whispering it in private won’t do any good.”