Trump saw a void, filled it, and created a cult – The Boston Globe

A chronicle of Donald Trump's Crimes or Allegations

Trump saw a void, filled it, and created a cult – The Boston Globe

I was chilled by the article on Donald Trump’s followers (“Many Trump fans trust nothing — except him,” Page A1, Dec. 23). Your reporters described the strength of the loyalty of die-hard Trump supporters, and this is important even as it continues to be a horrifying concern for those of us with a grip on a reality larger than Trump and his base. Yet I fear that the article also could become a Trump recruitment tool for some readers.
I know I am not the first to view Trump’s followers as a cult. A November 2022 MasterClass article states, “People join cult movements for various reasons, most of which revolve around a desire for meaning and community. … Former cult members often describe the long-lasting sense of loneliness and nihilism they felt prior to becoming part of something bigger than themselves.” This is the secret power of Trump, and the main point I took from Jess Bidgood and Niki Griswold’s article.
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This country, with its troubled history and its emphasis on individual life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, has created a dangerous void that is now being exploited. My question is: Where do we find a common American dream again to rebuild a sense of national community to withstand attacks from people like Trump? I encourage the media to start asking this question as well.
Jana Howe
Merrimack, N.H.
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