The MAGA movement contains some people who are fervent Republicans but might deviate from what was the party line as recently as the
In July, Trump passed over a number of seasoned Republicans favored by donors and other wings of the party as a way to balance the ticket and chose Sen., a populist conservative who is now the vice president-elect, as his running mate. This was seen as doubling down on Trumpism rather than trying to appeal to disaffected conservatives and suburban women with someone like former U.N. Ambassador
There were reports of MAGA pushback against Rubio as a day went by between the initial reports he would be nominated and the Trump-Vance transition team confirmed it. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said in a statement. has also become a Trump loyalist after a rocky start with the president-elect in 2016.
Yet the real populist true believers serving in senior positions during the first Trump term were limited in number. Former White House chief strategist, whose relationship with Trump never recovered from his recusal from the Russia investigation that indirectly led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller; senior adviser