A typology of Trump supporters

A typology of Trump supporters

Over the past few months I have heard my friends and Harris supporters say “I don’t understand it.  I just don’t get how someone could vote for that man.”  Actually there are a number of reasons why people vote for Donald Trump.

They will make a lot of money.  This is a relatively small but important group that anticipates tax cuts for the top 1%, government contracts, or both.  It includes people like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk.  It also includes crypto-currency investors and certain Wall Street types like hedge fund operators.  Another subgroup is social media company execs who are worried about anti-trust breakups.  Never overlook financial reasons.

They are mad at college graduates.  They think college grads look down on them and make fun of them.  Sometimes when they talk about tariffs providing revenues or “Jewish lasers setting forest fires,” it is hard not to make fun of them.

They are racists.  Not all Trump supporters are racists, but all racists are Trump supporters.  

They are Nazis.  Again, not all Trump supporters are Nazis, but all Nazis are Trump supporters.

They don’t have many friends.  The Trump cult gives them a warm feeling of belonging to a large purpose.  When low-income people spend large sums of money on Trump merch, they are probably in this group.

They fear immigrants.  They believe in the “great replacement” theory, or they don’t like the idea of white people being in the minority.

They get their information from limited sources.  Fox, of course, but also right-wing conspiracy theorists and sites like “Truth Social.”

They have always been Republicans.  Believe it or not, they think that since they registered Republican, or their “family has always voted Republican,” or “the Republican Party is the business party,” that is the way they must vote.  I believe this is the largest single group of Trump voters.  While changing parties might be easy in theory, it is part of many voters’ identities.

They have masculinity problems.  This is the reason that some of the “bros” are attracted to Trump.  They need to feel like real men in a world where they are largely superfluous.

They are religious fanatics who think Trump is on their side.  This would include many anti-abortion people or followers of religions that believe women should be subservient to men, like members of the Taliban or some Christian fundamentalists.  

They are angry at inflation and think Trump’s policies will stop it.  

It takes about a year for people to realize economic conditions have changed.  If they had noted the record payments to stockholders and CEOs, they might blame the business class, but it is easier to blame Biden.

They can’t imagine a woman president.  Especially a Black/Indian woman president.  I believe this isn’t more than 2 or 3%, but elections can be won on 2 or 3%.  

They don’t understand how the government works.  This would include members of the Supreme Court who think a president can have unlimited immunity for official acts and people who think a “temporary dictator” would be a good thing. 

Of course Trump supporters can be in more than one category.  

What I find scary and depressing is that I never thought so many of my friends, neighbors, and even relatives would be willing to roll the dice and support a candidate who has proven deficient in knowledge, empathy, and decency, and who has already done great harm to what I consider to be the best country on earth.  This is what many of us are finding so difficult to accept.