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https://www.axios.com/2025/12/12/maga-civil-war-candace-owens-trump-policies
MAGA's civil war is draining the movement of its political muscle, leaving it defenseless as the Trump administration revisits policies previously opposed by the base.
Why it matters: MAGA's grassroots strength lies in its ability to rally influencers, politicians and activists behind a hard-charging conservative agenda. That superpower is faltering amid a cascade of bitter personal feuds.
"There's no focus on anything philosophical or even ideological right now," The National Pulse's Raheem Kassam told Axios.
"It's all just a cacophony of grifters tussling over audience and ego. So, corporate America gets to wield power with the admin virtually unencumbered by scrutiny from the base," he added.
Driving the news: Washington advanced a series of policies over the past week that would have triggered significant MAGA backlash at earlier points in the administration.
This time, the reaction was mostly crickets — drowned out by online convulsions over Candace Owens, Turning Point USA, a MAGA podcaster's sexuality, and antisemitism.
Artificial intelligence: President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that aims to gut state laws that regulate AI — a major initiative pushed by the GOP's tech allies.
Backlash from MAGA thought leaders like Steve Bannon and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) helped kill a similar provision in Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" earlier this year. But this time, conservative efforts to influence the sweeping executive order were unsuccessful.
MAGA's civil war is draining the movement of its political muscle, leaving it defenseless as the Trump administration revisits policies previously opposed by the base.
Why it matters: MAGA's grassroots strength lies in its ability to rally influencers, politicians and activists behind a hard-charging conservative agenda. That superpower is faltering amid a cascade of bitter personal feuds.
"There's no focus on anything philosophical or even ideological right now," The National Pulse's Raheem Kassam told Axios.
"It's all just a cacophony of grifters tussling over audience and ego. So, corporate America gets to wield power with the admin virtually unencumbered by scrutiny from the base," he added.
Driving the news: Washington advanced a series of policies over the past week that would have triggered significant MAGA backlash at earlier points in the administration.
This time, the reaction was mostly crickets — drowned out by online convulsions over Candace Owens, Turning Point USA, a MAGA podcaster's sexuality, and antisemitism.
Artificial intelligence: President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that aims to gut state laws that regulate AI — a major initiative pushed by the GOP's tech allies.
Backlash from MAGA thought leaders like Steve Bannon and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) helped kill a similar provision in Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" earlier this year. But this time, conservative efforts to influence the sweeping executive order were unsuccessful.
