The Collapse of the Trump Coalition

“This phenomenon, which I term “right-wing wokeism, is not merely a reaction to its left-wing counterpart but a mirror image, employing similar tactics of moral panic, group-based blame, and symbolic warfare to radically different ends.” – The Woke Right

In October 2025, Tucker Carlson hosted admitted white nationalist Nick Fuentes on his popular podcast, further fracturing an already fragile Trump coalition.  The party’s success in the 2024 election came from the uniting of several sectors of the GOP, including the Paleocons, the Libertarians, the Israel Lobby, and the MAHA loyalists.  The platforming of Fuentes joins an already growing list of issues splintering the MAGA base, starting with the Epstein files, but also the downplaying of DOGE, economic tariffs, the bombing of Iran, and Israel-first sentiments.    

Woke, in its original understanding, meant to have awakened to the racial injustice experienced by minorities due to structural racism.  Woke Right, a pejorative term coined by the neocon establishment right, which has controlled the GOP for the past 75 years, looks to stymie the power and appeal of the paleoconservative movement.  Traditional conservatism had its own red-pilled moment when it awakened from the problems of empire-building, the globalist-focused arm of the Republican Party. 

Trumpism, a hybrid of the two main branches of Republicanism, was born during the first campaign of Donald Trump with a focus on trade wars, illegal immigration, and cultural issues.  Make America Great Again created an America First agenda, with a rejection of mainstream neo-conservatism, with populist and nationalist priorities.  

In Tim Ozman’s 2025 short book, “The Woke Right”, Ozman advances the horseshoe theory that the far right and the far left are closer to each other than to the moderate middle with their dueling tales of victimhood.  These similarities, rather than bringing people together, are actually working to drive people apart. 

Left populism, the social justice arm of the Democrat party, is represented by the original woke ideology of victimhood.  While there continue to be high levels of trust with mainstream media and government, these activists seek to dismantle power structures that they view as white supremacist in nature.  Now, while the populist right faces systemic discrimination of a different kind, especially with white men, preserving the founding power structure based on merit is their primary focus, opting for an alternative media that challenges the status quo.   

Both the Woke left and the Woke right believe in collective guilt and collective punishment. Randy Fine, a Florida Congressman and Israel First advocate, cheers the death of a Palestinian baby because it was born with bad blood.  The woke left find collective guilt for whites and especially men, while advocating for DEI policies advancing women and minorities, along with trans rights.  Other forms of collective guilt are applied to people who oppose aid for Israel and are therefore deemed antisemitic.  Much like, if you aren’t for George Floyd, you're a racist, making the Israel lobby of 2025 equal to BLM in 2020.  Unable to debate issues, both use ad hominem attacks to damage their rivals.

Trump’s original coalition sought to collaborate and find common ground.  Under a No enemies to the right tent, Republicans put petty differences aside to beat the left in 2024.  In the conservative sphere, there remain many factions eyeing their fortunes in the upcoming 2028 election, including traditional conservatives, MAGA (populist nationalists), never Trumpers (Neocons), MIGA (Israel lobby), and MAHA (those focused on public health revisions).   

It seems establishment neocon James Lindsey coined the new term, woke right, after seeing the light at the end of the Trump tunnel, attempting to move on from Trump's populism as his term and influence near its end.  As the fracturing continues, each hopes to control MAGA after Trump is done and gone.