The NYTimes checks in periodically with this specific group of trump supporters and asks them how they think the president is doing on a variety of current topics and issues.
I’ve read all the articles since the series began, but frankly, I couldn’t get through this one. I kept wanting to shout, “What reality are you people living in??” If you can read the whole article, you are a stronger person than I am.
So much misinformation, delusion, guzzling of the Kool-aid, ignorance, and just plain stupidity.
Gift link. YMMV.
For its latest focus group, Times Opinion spoke with 11 Republican voters, who reported somewhat or strongly approving of the president’s performance. We asked about what they like about the second Trump administration, and what they don’t.
ETA: The page is formatted with a stupid “cute” scrolling thing-- I HATE those!-- so just keep scrolling and you will eventually find text. We’re grownup readers. We don’t need tricks. Grrr.
Apparently groceries and gas are cheaper now in Trumpworld, the military is stronger, inflation is down, and Trump is doing everything he promised. I’m starting to think we need to put antipsychotics in the water supply.
And the Hispanic guy from Texas going on about deporting “illegals” is really tempting fate hard.
The worst part is that they all seem kind of done with Trump’s shooting from the hip and some of his more ridiculous suggestions, but they’re all very excited about JD Vance carrying on the legacy. Basically just confirming that nothing will stop when Trump dies.
I can’t ever read those articles. The people they’re interviewing will say some obvious falsehood and the interviewer never says, “of course, that’s not really true, grocery prices are up.”
In this case I don’t think the point is for the interviewer to challenge anyone. It’s a glimpse into the mindset of these people and challenging them would alter the results.
Thanks for posting that. I love reading things like that. Long ago, it drove me very crazy - you stupid fucking fucks, what the fuck are you fucking even talking about…fucking idiots?!?!
Now, I try, to see it as helpful insight. It has nuance that polls or edited Daily Show pieces, etc. don’t have. Nothing wrong with polls, etc., so these are just a different source of info. Like the Greenland thing, if they took a poll, they’d probably support Trump. But you read a transcript of them talking, and it’s more nuanced than that. That nuance would allow me in the real world, if I’m engaging someone, to listen, and at the very least to mostly come away as two people who don’t hate each other - it’s a good thing for two people with wildly different views not to hate each other. Because nobody is ever going to listen to an asshole or someone they hate. Never. Actual listening is very hard and can’t really be done when the conscious/subconscious guardrails are up.
If that drove you crazy, then you’re really going to hate this: The Focus Group. It’s pretty much just a video/audio version of that NYT type (focus) group. The point of a focus group is never persuasion, just to elicit nuanced opinions. You want to know what people think of X, Y, or Z - the focus group usually covers it. If you don’t want to know that, then, by god, do not go there, ha.
Anyways, this is not really directed toward you personally. Your quote is definitely me. But I’m trying. I’m very much playing the long-game.
I get it, but that doesn’t make it easier to read. Interviewer: So, what do you think about the color of the sky now that Trump is president? Idiot: Well, as he promised, the sky is now green. Interviewer: …
I hear you, @ThelmaLou! Saw this earlier today and had the same reaction. There is zero shared reality with these people.
From the spring 2026 installment: “Now that President Trump has shot down the International Space Station and declared himself emperor of Slovenia, I’m glad the price of eggs has stabilized.”
“Well, it’s looking a little bit more greenish than it did before, and I’m sure very soon it will be completely green. Actually I think it’s really looking pretty green…”
So, what I might do with that exchange, is take away that keeping promises is important to Idiot. Why is keeping promises important…people need to be able to trust what they say they are going to do…what about countries promises…probably important to keep our NATO promises, or at least appreciate that other countries are counting on our promises. Or something like that.
Now me and Idiot found common ground on something. Doesn’t actually matter what, the ability to find common ground is important. Could be a promise on a sport star’s contract or something. All from a bizarre reality of the sky being green.
I don’t know, I see a few cracks in the support armor showing. Sure, they parroted the main talking point lies like “I support his tariffs, how he’s lowering prices, and his stopping illegal immigration”, but there was also a fair amount of this:
And other dissent, such as most of them saying “what the heck is he doing with the whole Greenland thing?”. And a couple expressing dismay at the various ICE atrocities. I feel like several of them might be only a couple inflation rate comparison charts away from falling completely off the trump train.
And Jessica, the only one to give trump a ‘C’ grade, is clearly done with the trump brand kool-aid. Talk about damning with faint praise. Her answers reminded me of that sitcom premise where a divorced couple who now hate each other pretend to still be married when the in-laws visit.
I don’t believe that for a second. I think they like the idea of Vance, but once Trump is gone and Vance is alone, there isn’t going to be anywhere near the kind of devotion Trump had.
That being said, the people stupid enough to believe all of these things dont stop being stupid after he’s gone. MAGA folks aren’t going anywhere. I’m just hoping that they’ll be less motivated in their stupidity after their messiah is polluting his small bit of dirt.
Well, some of those things are true, inflation is down from the first three years of Bidens term.
And yes, gas price are down- a bit-
Only two people agree that the economy is going “A++++” some said “bumpy” which is correct. Or “just OK”- "Prices on everything are insane. Taxes are insane. It’s kind of the same as it’s been for me. I don’t think grocery prices have come down that much for me. I know eggs have, because I think I paid almost $10 for a dozen last year. So they’ve come back down to closer to normal prices. But I mean, everything’s still insane. "
Yeah, none support military action to take Greenland, from what I saw, and altho the concept of ICE rounding up “illegals” is supported, some do have issues with how it is being done.
None seem to be happy about how trump is handling the Epstein issue. Nor Gaza.
So, yeah, generally supportive of trump, which you would expect. But some of them seem to be rather informed, and most are not “drinking the kool-aid”.
Maybe. I think they are no longer such rabid fans.
