People associated with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement are venting fresh anger at Congress and the Republican Party, arguing that Republicans on Capitol Hill haven’t delivered during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Posting on X, several influential pro-Trump voices criticized lawmakers in sweeping terms—some without naming a single policy—while others pointed to specific flashpoints that have recently irritated the movement. One prominent account described the GOP in Congress as “weak and compromised.”
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The backlash comes after a handful of Republicans sided with Democrats on Wednesday to advance legislation that would overturn one of Trump’s executive orders. It also follows renewed intraparty tension over the Senate’s “blue slip” tradition, a long-standing practice that allows home-state senators to block certain presidential nominees for U.S. attorney offices and district courts.
Speaking to Newsweek, Thomas Gift, an associate professor of political science and the director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, said that strict loyalty expectations are baked into the movement’s politics: “The one thing MAGA doesn’t do well is tolerate dissent. Even lukewarm support for Trump is never enough, meaning that any Republican who deviates even slightly from the Trump line quickly finds themselves cast as disloyal.”
Newsweek reached out to Thune by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
MAGA supporters form an influential bloc within the Republican Party. If that bloc increasingly turns its fire toward congressional Republicans, it could deepen divisions and complicate the GOP’s ability to present a unified message heading into the November 2026 midterms.
What To Know
Gunther Eagleman, a MAGA-aligned influencer with 1.6 million followers, wrote on X: “Our GOP in Congress is weak and compromised.” In another post he asked: “How big of a letdown has our GOP in Congress been?”
Newsmax host Todd Starnes suggested the party may be sabotaging itself from within: “It’s hard not to imagine there is some sort of nationally-coordinated movement within the Republican Party to bring the Trump Administration to a full-stop. The GOP may do what the Democrats have not been able to do—kill the America First agenda in Congress. They lose the midterms and Democrats impeach Trump.”
Conservative radio host Mike Gallagher replied: “I truly don’t want to believe this. But I think it’s true.”
Michelle Maxwell, a MAGA supporter with more than 323,000 followers, argued that too many Republicans are refusing to fight: “I am so fed up with the Republican Party that is not proactive. There are a handful of people with cajones (sic) and the rest might as well be Democrats. Who else thinks we should be in scorched earth mode?”
The frustration intensified after the House of Representatives voted on Wednesday to advance a bill that would overturn Trump’s March executive order stripping collective bargaining rights from about one million federal workers. Several Republicans joined Democrats in pushing the bill forward, defying party leadership.
At the same time, Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota has rejected calls to scrap the blue slip system—even after Trump publicly urged him to pursue its “termination” on Truth Social.
Glockford Files, an account with more than 133,000 followers, wrote: “John Thune is keeping the blue slip tradition which is obstructing the America First agenda.” The post added: “Thune is proving yet again that RINOs and democrats are on the same team.”
Spitfire, an account with 347,000 followers, said Thune “makes it clear he will continue to obstruct Trump on all of his appointments.”
Gift told Newsweek that, for MAGA supporters, the key test isn’t conservative credentials or Senate tradition—it’s visible, unwavering alignment with Trump: “For the MAGA movement, the standard isn’t traditional conservative orthodoxy or institutional stewardship; it’s unflagging, public alignment with Trump’s wishes. That puts figures like Senator Thune in hot water if he’s perceived as not fully accepting, much less embracing, the MAGA line”
Some pro-Trump voices have also claimed Congress has been unproductive legislatively, even as Trump has continued to rely on executive orders to advance parts of his agenda.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I am hereby asking Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a fantastic guy, to get something done, ideally the termination of Blue Slips. Too many GREAT REPUBLICANS are being, SENT PACKIN’. None are getting approved!!! President DJT.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Fox News: “This is a procedure that’s been in place for a long time that both Republicans and Democrats because it gives them some input particularly in those judges, the judicial appointments that are made in their individual states, some input into that decision making process.”
What Happens Next
As Trump’s term continues, MAGA support for Congress—and for Republican leaders in Washington—will likely rise and fall depending on how quickly Republicans can translate the administration’s priorities into legislation, nominations, and tangible wins.
