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The Daily

The Cracking of the Trump Coalition

In the year since President Trump roared back to power, one of the most surprising story lines of his second term has been a series of public ruptures between him and the movement he created. Robert Draper, who covers domestic politics for The New York Times, discusses the growing tensions inside the MAGA movement and what they tell us about what the American right might look like in a post-Trump world.
Duration
44m
Broadcast on
11 Dec 2025
Audio Format
other

In the year since President Trump roared back to power, one of the most surprising story lines of his second term has been a series of public ruptures between him and the movement he created.

Robert Draper, who covers domestic politics for The New York Times, discusses the growing tensions inside the MAGA movement and what they tell us about what the American right might look like in a post-Trump world.

Guest: Robert Draper, who covers domestic politics.

Background reading: 

  • After an interview with a white nationalist, Tucker Carlson has continued to fracture the right.
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene strove both to be the ultimate Trump warrior and to be taken seriously. She wound up in political exile.
  • Nick Fuentes is a white nationalist problem for the right.

Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.


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This podcast is supported by TikTok. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries are the ones you weren't looking for. That happens every day on TikTok. A science experiment can spark a whole new interest. A recipe you stumble upon can become a meal you make for the people you love. And a restaurant you've never heard of might become your new favorite spot. That's the thing about TikTok. Follow your curiosity and see where it leads. Your next discovery is waiting on TikTok. From the New York Times, I'm Natalie Kitroff. This is The Daily. (upbeat music) In the year since Donald Trump roared back to power, one of the most surprising storylines of his second term has been a series of increasingly public ruptures between the president and the movement he created. On everything from affordability to foreign wars, key figures on the right are now daring to challenge Trump's priorities and his effectiveness. Today, my colleague Robert Draper on the growing tensions inside the MAGA movement and what they tell us about what the American right might look like in a post-Trump world. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - It's Thursday, December 11th. Robert, hi, welcome back to the show. - Thanks so much for having me. - So we're coming to you because for several years now, you've been reporting extensively on the right. And as a part of that, you spent a lot of time with some of the key figures in the MAGA movement, some of whom have started to openly speak out against the president. And so we're hoping you can help us understand what's been happening in the relationship between President Trump and his movement, which until recently looked pretty unshakeable. - Yeah, in a sense, Natalie, what's taking place is in step with what historically has transpired with presidencies that after a certain period, a president begins to take on the appearance of being a lame duck. He no longer is in full control of the agenda and the party begins to look at life after him. But typically that has taken place after the midterms, after a two-year period.

Transcription truncated.

In the year since President Trump roared back to power, one of the most surprising story lines of his second term has been a series of public ruptures between him and the movement he created. Robert Draper, who covers domestic politics for The New York Times, discusses the growing tensions inside the MAGA movement and what they tell us about what the American right might look like in a post-Trump world.