"He didn't view MAGA as reactionary, but "very progressive and forward-facing." But somewhere along the way Logis hung up his red hat. "Even today, talking about my past, the feelings are conjured-those feelings of being welcomed and feeling like you're part of something, and the exhilaration that comes from that," he tells the New Yorker Radio Hour's Adam Howard. Logis emphasizes that leaving MAGA is difficult because, as much as it's a political ideology, it's also an identity that meets emotional needs."
"I think that there's a lot of trauma within the MAGA base, whether it's political or economic. . . . I'm not qualified to make any kind of diagnosis. I'm not a therapist or a clinician, but there's a lot of pain within MAGA. And I think that a better question [instead] of asking 'What's wrong with you?' is 'What happened to you?'"
Only thirty percent of the American public identifies with the MAGA movement, but that coalition remains intensely loyal to Donald Trump despite scandals and authoritarian measures. Defections are rare and carry risks of reprisal. Rich Logis founded the nonprofit Leaving MAGA to encourage departures, collect testimonials from former adherents, and advise friends and family on reconnecting after political ruptures. Logis worked on Trump’s campaign, produced media, and described Democrats as an existential threat. He emphasizes that MAGA functions as both political ideology and identity, meeting emotional needs and containing significant pain and trauma. Logis recommends asking 'What happened to you?' instead of 'What's wrong with you?'.
Read at The New Yorker
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