President Trump’s big budget bill is in some trouble after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that big chunks of it can’t pass via a simple majority. That enraged MAGA: Marjorie Taylor Greene unleashed a furious rant demanding that Senate Majority Leader John Thune fire the parliamentarian. Other top MAGA figures, like Senator Tommy Tuberville and Representative Greg Steube, angrily demanded the same. Though Thune says he won’t take this plunge, MAGA’s anger could escalate, and the demand threatens to further undermine liberal democracy. All this comes as Trump’s general approval is sliding in many new polls, disapproval of Trump is spiking on many major issues, and the budget measure is absolutely tanking. We talked to journalist Sarah Posner, author of good books on the religious right and its impact on MAGA. She explains what Trump’s sliding numbers mean to MAGA, why MAGA’s anger at the parliamentarian really matters, what’s next for the budget bill, and the intriguing role of Christian nationalism in making this moment so fraught. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.
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MAGA Rage Suddenly Takes Unnerving Turn as Trump Plummets in New Polls
As MAGA figures vent over Trump’s budget bill hitting major obstacles amid awful new polls for Trump, a journalist and careful observer of MAGA explains why this is a particularly fraught moment.

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Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene in Washington, D.C., on February 12