Trump, MAGA and the insidious underbelly of white supremacy in America 

Despite boycotting three Republican primary debates and taking multiple setbacks in criminal and civil court proceedings against him, Donald Trump continues to enjoy a commanding lead in the polls. Even as he stokes the flames of hate and violence on the campaign trail, the former president is supported by an astounding 60-70 percent of Republican voters and narrowly beats President Biden in a hypothetical 2024 faceoff.  

Why do people continue to vote for a person with such bigoted views and obvious character flaws, whose selfish self-interest takes precedence over the needs of others and the good of the nation? 

Psychologists are at the forefront of studying bias and discrimination in various forms; we have long known that people are not necessarily “rational” beings but “rationalizing” ones. Many voters acknowledge Trump’s immoral and unethical nature, but when asked why they back him, they rationalize their actions as support of conservative judges, anti-abortion legislation, overturning unfair trade agreements, tax benefits, or protecting the Second Amendment.

Although these are legitimate issues to consider, the reasons may mask a deeper and more frightening explanation: the bigoted beliefs, attitudes and behaviors of Donald Trump do not represent an isolated case or an “outlier,” but may reflect the unconscious values of a large segment of the population. 

For many years, I have been concerned about the phenomenon of “bias contagion,” in which the overt expression of racism by our leaders and those in power sanction hate speech, bigotry and violence toward those who differ from them in terms of race, ethnicity and culture. It provides permission for people to unashamedly and overtly act out deep-seated biases without fear of social disapproval or retribution. “Trumpism” has seemingly tapped into an underlying groundswell of anger, resentment, grievance and even fury at our institutions, the news media, medical science and policies that seem to intrude upon individual freedom.  

What lies beneath this rage?   

The concept of white supremacy, while no longer considered an acceptable topic of polite conversation, could partly explain the support Trump receives in opinion polls and at the ballot box. It is entirely possible that the tentacles of deeply buried and unconscious beliefs that white people and their way of life are being threatened are slowly creeping back into public view.  

White supremacy is the individual, institutional and societal belief in the superiority of white Western-European cultural heritage (physical features, fair skin color, arts, crafts, traditions, customs, holidays, religion, language, beliefs, values, etc.) over all other groups and their heritage. Throughout history, our nation has enforced these standards through social, economic and political powers; the invisible undercurrent of white supremacy renders racism invisible, equates normality with whiteness, and mimics the norms of fairness, justice and equality. 

With the changing complexion of society, the feminization of the workforce, and the graying of America, change and demands for it have upended the lives of many white Americans. There is fear that a “way of life” is being lost, that they have been forced to change without their consent, and that white-cherished values and traditions are being assailed. The slogan “Make America Great Again!” disguises white supremacy, and a yearning to return to a romanticized era where minoritized individuals “knew their place.”  

The MAGA slogan conceals a call to return to former days of clearly defined white power and privilege, when women were homemakers instead of in the workforce, when marriage was between a man and a woman, and when homosexuality and other “queer” lifestyles were considered sinful and a mental disorder. Many of these bigoted beliefs and attitudes represent implicit biases that are outside the level of conscious awareness. It couches the rhetoric of white supremacy in the language of individual freedom and individual rights. Hate speech is justified as “free speech,” gun control is an attack on “the right to bear arms,” criticism of offending marginalized group members is seen as “political correctness” and vaccine mandates are seen as governmental intrusion.   

Making the “invisible” visible is the first step toward clarity, liberation and a needed racial reckoning. As a nation, we must face the possibility that a large segment of the white population harbors strong racist and bigoted beliefs. Racism, bias and bigotry are deeply embedded in our society and psyche, and solutions directed toward symptoms do not address the virus of white supremacy. Only by naming and facing the unpleasantness and ugliness of racism will we move toward healing and emancipation. 

Derald Wing Sue is professor of counseling psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is author of “Microaggressions in Everyday Life, Microintervention Strategies and Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence.”