Predating Trump’s first term, the fringe right had conspiracy theories about elite child trafficking rings and those increasingly became part of the Republican mainstream as they proved a useful rallying point against Clinton (targeting her husband) and as an explanation for what motivated the “deep state” bogeyman used to explain every failure. That’s long enough ago that there are Republican members of Congress who rose to that level by beating more moderate Republican incumbents.

Trying to reverse that is a political minefield after they spent a decade and many millions of dollars pumping up the idea that there’s a massive conspiracy among the political elites. They spent basically Biden’s entire presidency saying he was helping the coverup to boost Trump’s election, but I think his people were hoping enough people would lose interest and they could quietly drop it with some stunt like Bondi’s empty binders. This is the first time they’re more or less publicly recognizing that Trump doesn’t entirely control the MAGA agenda.

Understand MAGA politics?

- trump is in deep with epstein. Maga cares about that

- trump and bondi said they'd release all files, which Maga wants as does the prepondernce of america.

- trump has no morals or ethics. He thinks he can tell people what they want to hear now then tapdance his way out later. The key reason he has some success here is because congressional Republicans are wussies, benefit from trump short term, are afraid of him. and Republicans are far more disciplined staying on message then dems. Release the files? Trump thinks nothing of saying that but not doing it

- no regaen republican thinks trump gives a damn about family values, church, justice, military values. No one .. not anywhere .. not at anytime.

- US fundamentalist christains (evangelicals, pentacostals) are benefitting from his culture warfare short-term. But when music stops it'll be clear they just used each other.

- as far as theology goes the Christian theology is way more flexible, bend to need than Catholics, or those for who the old testament is their book. Evangelical christains take this inch and make it a light year.

(I was raised Evangelical but quit as a kid, have lots of military in the family, and share several members who are regaen Republicans repulsed by trump. Trump is radioactive skank on parade.)