A group of conservative figures once seen as loyal supporters of Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to launch a new political party, in what would amount to the most serious rupture yet in the American right-wing movement.
The reported breakaway faction includes Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. According to the report, the two have become leading voices in a campaign against Mr Trump, accusing him of abandoning the movement that brought him to power. The words «He betrayed us all» are said to sum up the mood among the plotters.
The plan, described as an attempt by «MAGA exiles» to build a new political vehicle, would mark a stunning reversal for figures who were once among Mr Trump's most vocal defenders. Greene, a congresswoman from Georgia, has been one of the most recognisable figures on the populist right, while Carlson built one of the largest audiences in American cable news before departing Fox News. Their reported alliance against the president suggests that internal conflict within the broader Make America Great Again movement has moved beyond personal disagreements and into organisational politics.
The report gives no indication that a formal announcement is imminent, and many details of the proposed party remain unknown. No name, leadership structure or policy platform has been disclosed, nor is it clear how many elected officials or prominent activists would be willing to sign up. The mere fact that such discussions are said to be taking place, however, is a sign of the strain that has developed between Mr Trump and some of his most influential former supporters.
A split of this kind would carry significant consequences for American elections. Any new party drawing support from the conservative base would risk dividing the right and changing the arithmetic of close races across the country. Even if the venture failed to gain traction, it would intensify public debate about the direction of the Republican Party and the future of the movement Mr Trump has dominated for years.
Greene and Carlson have each, in the past, been closely associated with the ideas and energy of the Trump movement. Greene rose to prominence as a staunch defender of Mr Trump and has often been described as one of his most loyal allies in Congress. Carlson, meanwhile, used his nightly programme to amplify populist themes and give voice to figures and ideas on the political fringe. The suggestion that they now see Mr Trump as a betrayer of the cause marks a notable shift in the internal politics of the American right.
There has been no public statement from either Greene or Carlson confirming the plan. The report is based on anonymous accounts of private discussions, and the usual cautions about unconfirmed political plotting apply. Should the plan move forward, it would create a rival to the Republican Party and test whether the passion of the base can be separated from the personality of the man who turned it into a national force.
For now, the most striking element of the report is the language used by those involved. The accusation that Mr Trump has betrayed the movement is particularly charged, because his political identity rests on the claim that he alone speaks for ordinary conservative voters. If that accusation were to gain currency, it could reshape the primaries and general election battles ahead. The conflict also highlights the fragility of a movement built around a single leader.
