John Ganz is the author of When the Clock Broke and writes a monthly column for the Nation as well as the Unpopular Front newsletter on Substack. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, New Republic, New Statesman, and other publications.

01.28.2026

• John Ganz

The Social Forces Behind the MAGA Coalition

The glue that holds Donald Trump’s coalition together is not ideological coherence but a volatile compound of empire, spectacle, and grievance. Understanding these tensions helps explain both MAGA’s successes and its weaknesses.