Systemic inequities rooted in race, gender, and class are reinforced through policies, media narratives, and shared beliefs, according to advocates pushing for what they call collective deprogramming. Breaking free from these entrenched systems requires sustained communal effort, they argue.
The parallels drawn to abuse recovery are deliberate. Former Trump supporter Rich Logis founded Leaving MAGA, a support group designed for individuals who have decided to distance themselves from Trump's political movement. The organization operates as a space for those who say they have recognized what they view as deception at the core of Trump's messaging.
Critics point to Trump's public statements as evidence of patterns they find troubling. During a 2016 campaign rally, Trump stated he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue without losing voters. In this year's State of the Union address, Trump spoke of what critics characterize as threats toward Caribbean fishing communities. Supporters of Leaving MAGA frame these statements as indicators of a leader who operates without ethical constraints.
The comparison to trafficking survivors is deliberate in the group's framing. Just as abuse survivors face structural barriers when attempting to escape their situations, the argument goes, political supporters caught in what organizers call a "grip" face psychological and social obstacles to departing. The group positions itself as offering support during that transition.
Logis and others involved in the effort emphasize that leaving Trump's orbit, while difficult, is necessary for personal and communal recovery. The website leavingmaga.org serves as the primary hub for the initiative, offering resources and community connection for those reassessing their political allegiances.
