MAGA's Civil War: After Days of Infighting, GOP Leaders Urge Unity Against a Common Foe
At Turning Point's AmericaFest, a fierce internal feud between figures like Ben Shapiro and Steve Bannon gave way to calls for unity from VP JD Vance. An analysis of the ideological schism shaping the future of the Republican party.
A Movement Divided
PHOENIX – After three days of bitter infighting that exposed a deep schism within the MAGA movement, top Republicans led by Vice President JD Vance shifted their focus on Sunday, calling for unity against Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms. The abrupt pivot at Turning Point's 'AmericaFest' sought to paper over a public feud between conservative heavyweights, revealing the central tension facing the party: ideological purity versus pragmatic power.
The Pivot to Unity
On Sunday, the party leadership stepped in to calm the waters. Vice President JD Vance's speech at the Phoenix Convention Center served as the weekend's capstone, directly addressing the infighting that had clouded the 30,000-person gathering.
"President Trump did not build the greatest coalition in politics by running his supporters through endless, self-defeating purity tests. We have far more important work to do than canceling each other."- JD Vance, Vice President of the United States
Vance's speech, and others on Sunday, pivoted sharply toward a common enemy. He invoked the memory of Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, who was gunned down in September, framing the political battle as a fight against those responsible for his death.
"If you miss Charlie Kirk, do you promise to fight what he died for? Do you promise to take the country back from the people who took his life?" Vance asked the cheering crowd.
Donald Trump Jr. also sought to redirect the movement's anger. "The real enemy? It’s not Steve Bannon or Tucker Carlson or Ben Shapiro, it’s the radical left that murdered Charlie and celebrated it on a daily basis,” he said. According to reports, the political beliefs of Kirk's alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson, are not easily defined.
Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) echoed the call, stressing the importance of focusing on the mission to win the upcoming midterm elections. "We are gonna kick their ass next November," Vance declared, prompting chants of "USA!"
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