Peter Wehner: “We are witnessing one of the more shocking political events of recent times: Donald Trump’s MAGA base, over which he has had a decade-long cultlike hold, is in open revolt against him. And his initial efforts to quell the uprising have, so far, only further inflamed it.”

New York Times: “‘Evil’ is a word getting a lot of airtime in the second Trump term. It is not enough anymore to dislike a journalistic inquiry or disagree with an opposing philosophy. Anyone viewed as critical of the president or insufficiently deferential is wicked. The Trump administration’s efforts to achieve its policy goals are not just an exercise in governance but a holy mission against forces of darkness.”

“The characterization seeds the ground to justify all sorts of actions that would normally be considered extreme or out of bounds. If Mr. Trump’s adversaries are not just rivals but villains, then he can rationalize going further than any president has in modern times.”

“He’s dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I don’t understand what the interest or the fascination is… I don’t understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody, it’s pretty boring stuff.”

— President Trump, quoted by CNN.

President Donald Trump is accusing some of his onetime supporters of being “weaklings” who are falling prey to Democratic “bullshit” about the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — concluding that he no longer wants their support, CNN reports.

Wrote Trump, on Truth Social: “Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker. They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years.”

He added: “Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!” 

CNN: “After losing men under 50 by double digits in 2020, Trump’s campaign made a concerted push to reverse that trend. His outreach included appearances on podcasts and YouTube shows hosted by a growing universe of male comedians, pranksters, streamers and other right-leaning influencers who had cultivated large, loyal followings. The approach paid off and has already spawned copycats in both parties.”

“Lately some of the most influential voices within the so-called manosphere have begun expressing concerns, if not outright regret, with Trump’s return to Washington.”