Ex-MAGA Supporter Creates Support Group - BuzzFeed

From the outside looking in, it can be really hard to understand why the MAGA movement seems to have such a hold on some people.

And if you have loved ones who have gone down the MAGA rabbit hole, it can be especially frustrating, scary, and sad to see how the movement's ideology has affected them.

What makes MAGA so hard to quit? And how can we help our loved ones change their ways? To learn more, I reached out to a former MAGA supporter who has started a group to help others leave their red hats behind.

Rich Logis, author of One Betrayal Too Many: Why I Left MAGA, started supporting then-candidate Donald Trump in 2015. On the Leaving MAGA website, he explains, "He seemed to be exactly whom I’d been waiting for: a needed disruptor, someone who not only was willing to obliterate the established political order, but seemed able to do so."

One Betrayal Too Many: Why I Left MAGA

Rich says that a variety of factors, plus a year of "internal struggle," ultimately led him to the point of leaving MAGA behind in 2022. Now he says, "Though I supported Trump and MAGA for what I thought were the right reasons, I was wrong, and I will work as long as necessary to make amends."

Rich told BuzzFeed that there's one big reason why so many people find it hard to leave MAGA: community. "MAGA provides a community for its members; a place of belonging and gathering, where they find camaraderie and a shared purpose."

"For me, my MAGA compatriots were my second family; we broke bread together, attended holiday and family parties, and congregated at Trump- and MAGA-themed events. It is excruciatingly difficult to walk away from a second family and community, where one is seen, heard, respected, vindicated, and appreciated."

He also shared some common reasons why people begin to question their MAGA beliefs. "There is a whole host of reasons people leave MAGA, ranging from Trump's mismanagement of the COVID pandemic, to Jan. 6, to his stolen 2020 election lies. These were all factors that led to my leaving; additionally, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's platforming COVID anti-vaxxers, and the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting accelerated my leaving MAGA."

"More recently, reasons include the gutting of the federal government, the Epstein files, and the inhumane treatment of immigrants. Another key factor to people leaving is stepping outside of the MAGA media bubble and diversifying their news and information sources."

But when it comes to helping your MAGA loved ones see the light, Rich urges patience. "As we discuss in our Tuesday night support groups for friends and family of those still in the thrall of MAGA, no one changes another person; change must come from the individual."

"But friends and family of the MAGA-identified can let their loved ones know that if they are ever having doubts, are confused or questioning their MAGA beliefs, they can turn to them as friendly ears, free from judgment and ostracization."

He also told BuzzFeed how his group helps people who've gotten out of MAGA. "Those leaving MAGA need a new community; that is what we're building at Leaving MAGA. Our leaders all know each other, and we meet once a month to check in with one another and share good news."

"It is frightening to exit MAGA, even with its toxicity, because of the communal aspect of it. Without a new destination, those in MAGA who want to leave will have second thoughts about doing so. Leaving MAGA was good for my soul, my psyche, and my mental health. As I say daily: Today's a stellar day to leave MAGA."