The People Who Bet Big on MAGA’s Future—And Lost
The article argues that institutions and media figures who aligned themselves with the MAGA movement following the 2024 election are now facing backlash as political trends shift. It suggests that the perceived realignment of the electorate was a temporary phenomenon rather than a lasting change.
Why it matters
It analyzes the risks of corporate and institutional political alignment in a volatile political climate.
Some institutions jumped onto the bandwagon after the 2024 election, but it hasn’t taken long for those decisions to look shortsighted.
Craig Hudson / The Washington Post / Getty August 10, 2026, 3:07 PM ET Share Save This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.
When Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, he was nursing grudges and claiming a mandate. The institutions he saw as his enemies—in politics, business, and education—faced a dilemma about how to respond.
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