In the midst of the 2016 election, Donald Trump quipped that he could “stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and [not] lose voters.” It was a remarkably prescient remark from the candidate who has been accused of numerous crimes without losing support from the GOP leadership or his voter base.
In the wake of Comey’s firing, most Republicans flocked to Trump’s defense. Many seemed incapable of comprehending why firing multiple people charged with investigating him is a problem. It’s a situation that prompted Slate to ask whether anything could cause Trump to lose support.
It’s time to call the rabid, unquestioning support for Trump what is really is: the product of a cultish mentality that undermines critical thinking and supports dangerous and violent behavior. Consider the following characteristics of a cult.
A Charismatic Leader is the Sole Arbiter of Truth
Cults almost always center around charismatic leaders who instruct followers that outsiders can’t be trusted. Consider the archetypal examples of Jim Jones, David Koresh, or Charles Manson. Trump has labeled the media an enemy, referred to lies as “alternative facts,” and dubbed real journalism “fake news.”PolitiFact has collected hundreds of lies uttered by Trump. His followers insist that he, the only source of truth, is not lying, or that he lies only with his followers’ best interests at heart.
Reprogramming Members’ World View
As an extension of their attempt to rewrite the truth, cult leaders also try to alter followers’ world view. Trump and his team have had incredible success doing this. When Trump gleefully admitted to sexual assault, his defenders—including Jeff Sessions—insisted that, actually, this isn’t sexual assault. In a cult that sees women as less human than men, men can treat women however they wish.
Predatory Sexual Behavior and Different Rules for the Leader
Predatory sexual behavior has been a hallmark of numerous cults. Trump’s is no exception. Cults with a history of sexual abuse often excuse their leader’s behavior as a necessary diversion. In other cases, the cult members simply apply different rules to their leader. That’s the case with Trump’s followers. In confirmation hearings, Jeff Sessions clarified that grabbing women’s genitals against their will is actually sexual assault. This did not change the chief law enforcement officer’s opinion of Trump.
The Group is Special; the Leader Determines the Law
Cult leaders insist that the law doesn’t apply to them, or that their will is the law. Trump has repeatedly lambasted cults, expressed concern that Congress can limit his authority, and attempted to limit dissent in the administration.
Zealous and Unquestioning Commitment to the Leader
Political movements always come with a hefty dose of hero worship. Clinton’s supporters refused to acknowledge polls that showed Sanders beating Trump and Clinton losing to him, for example. Cults demand absolute commitment, no matter what the leader does.
The same people who wanted Clinton arrested for mishandling classified emails are unconcerned by leaks from the Trump White House to Russia, or by mounting evidence that Russia may control Trump.
The people who called Bill Clinton a rapist on the basis of a single allegation summarily discounted—and a taped admission of sexual assault—against Trump.
Republicans who want so-called Dreamers (children brought to this country illegally by their parents, through no fault of their own) deported to a country they’ve never known eagerly embraced Melania Trump. Some reports suggest Trump lied on her immigration paperwork.
Trump has moved to reduce women’s access to abortion and contraceptives, in spite of the fact that he may have paid for abortions.
They’ve defended allegations that the Trump empire engaged in housing discrimination, that it’s linked to the mafia, and that its Trump University was a scam. They tout the financial genius of a man who continually files for bankruptcy. They’re untroubled by his use of undocumented workers, allegations of marital rape, casino law violations, tenant intimidation, and much more.
And in most cases, his defenders are people who want you to believe they are Christians who voted for Trump on moral grounds. It’s hard to get more cult-like than that.