Trumpers Are Not Entitled to Respect

Respect must be earned — and they haven’t earned it.

One of the more baffling phenomena of our time is the MAGA supporter’s indignation when confronted with disparaging characterizations of themselves. It’s akin to someone throwing a punch and then recoiling in shock when they’re hit back. The audacity is staggering.

Here’s the crux of it: MAGA supporters are fine with degradation — as long as it’s not their own. They cheer when Donald Trump mocks a disabled reporter, when Elon Musk shares antisemitic conspiracy theories, or when their ilk dehumanizes immigrants as “animals.” But the moment the spotlight turns on them, they clutch their pearls and demand civility. It’s a masterclass in selective empathy.

Take, for instance, the gleeful nationalism of some Trumpers I encountered in a debate. They joked about annexing Greenland, insisting its people would love to join the “freest country on Earth.” When I called them out — using language as unvarnished as their own — they were aghast. “How dare you?” they cried, as if their casual imperialism hadn’t just reduced an entire nation to a punchline.

This is the MAGA paradox: They are blind to their own vileness. They see no irony in demanding respect while supporting a movement built on disrespect. They cannot fathom why their…