The Civil War Brewing Within MAGA: Part 4
Critical Resistance -- Substack
Feb 19, 2025
In our previous installment, we examined The Extraction Class's pursuit of a technocratic autocracy. Now, we turn to another pivotal faction within the MAGA movement: The Militant Extremists, a coalition of far-right groups whose escalating influence poses a volatile threat to both their allies and the nation.
Initially relegated to the role of enforcers, The Militant Extremists served as the movement's foot soldiers, tasked with intimidating political opponents, suppressing dissent, and instilling fear. For years, they justified their violence as a necessary fight to reclaim America from perceived threats, including the government, the left, and those they label as "outsiders." However, with the advent of Trump's second term, they are no longer content to take orders; they demand the rewards they believe they've earned through their actions.
Central to this faction are groups like the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, and Three Percenters. These organizations have openly embraced extremist ideologies and have utilized violence as a political tool. Leaders such as Enrique Tarrio of the Proud Boys and Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers have portrayed themselves as warriors in an existential battle to preserve what they perceive as America's traditional identity. The Great Replacement Theory—a belief that white Americans are being "replaced" by immigrants and minorities—fuels their rage and justifies their actions.
While racism is deeply embedded in this faction, it is not their sole motivator. Many Militants are drawn in through economic resentment, anti-government ideology, or a broader sense of grievance. Some are ideological purists, committed to the idea of a homogeneous ethnostate, while others are opportunists exploiting racial fears to legitimize the use of force. There are also accelerationist factions within the movement who do not simply seek power but believe that the destruction of the U.S. government is necessary to build a more extreme authoritarian state. To them, chaos is not just a tool—it is the end goal. Their core belief, however, is that power belongs to those who can seize it by force, and they will employ any justification—be it race, religion, or economic resentment—that serves their agenda.
Following the January 6th Capitol attack, many members faced prosecution, and Trump initially distanced himself from their actions. However, in a move to regain their loyalty, he has since pardoned nearly all individuals charged in connection with the January 6th events, including leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers convicted of seditious conspiracy.
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