The MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement sees Donald Trump as the only leader capable of combating and annihilating a series of threats that, according to them, endanger the essence and future of the United States. One of the main concerns of his followers is illegal immigration, perceived not only as an economic threat but also as a cultural risk. They believe that an uncontrolled influx of migrants dilutes the American identity, affecting employment and security, and that only Trump, with his harsh rhetoric and promise to build a wall, can stop what they consider an invasion. The theory of the great replacement (where whites cease to be the majority) is their main source of fear. Another of MAGA’s fears is globalism, which many see as the cause of the country’s economic weakening, with jobs moving abroad and a loss of sovereignty in favor of international organizations. Trump represents a return to economic nationalism, the protection of industry and the defense of American interests against what they perceive as an elite that does not take into account the needs of the people. Socialism and progressive policies are another axis of concern. For MAGA, proposals from the left, such as public health care, climate reforms or gun control, are perceived as a path to socialism, a direct threat to individual freedoms and the capitalist character of the nation. Trump, on the other hand, is seen as the defender of those freedoms, especially when it comes to gun ownership and the defense of traditional values. They’re going to take away our guns, they’re going to take away Christmas, children leave home as boys and have their sex changed at school - all of this nonsense said by Trump is believed by his followers. It’s a cult. The phenomenon of “cancel culture” and political correctness is also interpreted as an attack on freedom of expression. For Trump’s followers, these practices are designed to silence conservative voices and limit speech that strays from progressive norms. Trump, with his provocative and unfiltered style, is admired for his willingness to confront and challenge what they see as a suffocating culture of censorship. The notion of a “deep state” is another threat that worries MAGA. Many believe that there is a network of bureaucrats and unelected officials conspiring to undermine Trump’s policies and maintain control over the country. In their imagination, Trump is the only one with enough courage to confront this corrupt system, which they see as an obstacle to the true sovereignty of the people. In addition, the MAGA movement has been deeply fueled by conspiracy theories that have gained strength in recent years, such as QAnon. This theory suggests the existence of a secret network of satanic pedophiles that controls the government and that only Trump can destroy. Trump has never completely distanced himself from these ideas, which has strengthened the belief that he is a savior in this supposed cosmic battle between good and evil. Now, in addition, the Project 2025 that we have talked about here at El Heraldo de México, gives body and support to these plans for a possible government. We have just learned that Trump said openly that he wanted generals like Hitler’s. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican congresswoman and fervent defender of Trump, has helped spread equally crazy theories that resonate in MAGA country. From claiming that Democrats control the weather to influence elections to suggesting that the California wildfires were caused by Jewish-operated space lasers, these ideas, though devoid of any factual basis, resonate with a segment of the electorate that distrusts institutions and traditional media. Trump, with his talk of “taking back” the country and his appeal to a glorious past, is seen as the protector of that vision of an America that is being irreversibly transformed by the forces of multiculturalism and liberalism. For MAGA, Trump is not just a political leader, but a figure who embodies the fight to preserve an America that they feel is on the verge of collapse. Faced with what they perceive as internal and external threats—real or fabricated by conspiracy theories—Trump promises to be the only one capable of restoring order and protecting the values they consider fundamental. May democracy have mercy on us. BY PEDRO ÁNGEL PALOU CONTRIBUTOR @PEDROPALOU Contenido publicado originalmente en el Heraldo de México.