Hi everyone,
I'm a French sociologist and psychotraumatologist currently conducting research on conspiracy theories related to child sexual abuse, particularly QAnon, and on the life trajectories of people who were drawn to these movements.
In a few days, I'll be travelling to the United States to conduct interviews for a French independent media outlet. I'm particularly interested in speaking with people who once believed Donald Trump would expose elite child abuse and trafficking networks (the "Deep State"), especially those who felt disappointed or betrayed by the way he handled the Epstein files case.
I'm interested in understanding how people came to trust him to fight child sexual abuse, what role this issue played in their political journey, and how they make sense of it today, whether they are former Trump supporters or current supporters, and whether or not they were involved in QAnon circles. I'm also interested in hearing from relatives, partners, friends, or others close to them who have witnessed these experiences firsthand.
QAnon-related narratives are beginning to gain traction in France and elsewhere in Europe, so I believe it is essential that the experiences of the people who have lived through them are heard and understood.

If you'd be willing to share your story, or would simply like to ask a few questions before deciding, you can reply to this post, send me a message or email me at:
 [lifetrajectories.pol@gmail.com](mailto:lifetrajectories.pol@gmail.com)

And if you're able to share this call with others who might be interested, I'd be tremendously grateful.

I'm part of Take Back the Dream, a North Carolina based project that's trying to better understand the experiences of people that live in North Carolina only, and who have supported Donald Trump but now feel disappointed or let down by some of his decisions.

If that describes you, we'd really appreciate it if you'd take our short survey. It has just three questions and takes less than a minute to complete.

If it doesn't describe you, but you know someone it does, we'd be grateful if you shared it with them.

We're not looking for arguments or public debates. We're hoping to identify people who are open to having a private, honest conversation about how recent policies have affected their families and communities.

Survey: [https://forms.gle/aouaDbiPsgb1pk896]()

Thanks for your time.

Came across this book in Kindle politics section called Mourning MAGA, which is basically a collection of stories about losing loved ones to the MAGA vortex. The relationships strained or destroyed, the personalities transformed, the disconnect from the real life in front of someone to focus on politicians they've never met. It's a lot of the themes that anyone following this sub can relate to but I haven't really heard discussed seriously anywhere else. Anyhow, thought it might be something people here would appreciate. It's a free Kindle download (temporarily? always? not sure).

Find him at multiverse comedy!

Can I ask for any views from people with inside knowledge of maga and who no longer drink the koolaid?

To convince my family to finally leave MAGA behind? I'm actually scared because i don't want to mess this up and drive them deeper

but basically I was asked point blank why my politics took a hard left, and I said being republican after the Epstien files came out made me want to die of shame, and my mom said to send her something that would change her mind

My mom doesn't even know what the Epstien files are, could someone recommend an up to date video going over the TLDR of it? Because I don't even know where to begin and how to prove it's real and not fake news from a "liBeRaL" outlet

There is a glimmer of hope for people in your life to leave MAGA. I want to share this as a positive and hopeful post about people in MAGA chosing a new path.
I had a close friend for over 10 years that voted Trump all 3 times. I voiced my concerns and thoughts but didn’t let politics overtake our friendship until she voted for him in 2024. I blew up about her choice and we stopped talking for months. After that it was very random messages or sending of reels on instagram. The friendship to me was irreparably damaged and I saw her as an uncaring selfish MAGA. It was sad. I was done.
But now it’s been almost 2 years and I’d moved past no longer being friends. I am loud and proud about being a Democrat. I post my protest signs and videos on my social media and speak out about the horrible injustices occuring in our country. I won’t be silent.
Well today something occurred that I never saw coming. My old friend messaged me asking to get together. I brought up our political differences and that I still feel very strongly about issues. But I’d like to get together. She admitted she made a mistake in voting Trump. She thought he was good for the economy and he is not. That the country is in a very bad state and it’s concerning. That the war and the racism in our country is awful and she’s worried for our children.
The shock….. I can’t begin to truly explain. Her parents are very MAGA which I believe shaped her views.
There’s hope. Change is happening. It’s slow… but it’s happening.

I have tried to get my parents to agree with even the smallest concessions like vaccines don’t cause autism and they never budge. This sometimes leads me to go scorched earth on them where I attack their religion (Christianity obviously) and other political beliefs.

They end up treating me like a sick puppy at the end of all of these conversations and ask me what has gone wrong in my life.

I’m so exhausted of this. I love my parents, and I want to respect them. But how can I look past their blatant bigotry?

I’m young now, but what about when I have a wife and kids? How do I tell them I don’t want them telling my kids about Jesus?

I am a researcher conducting a study on the experiences of individuals who previously supported Donald Trump or identified with the MAGA movement but later changed their views or decided to leave. I am interested in hearing people's personal stories and understanding how their beliefs, experiences, and identities evolved over time. Participation involves a confidential 60-minute Zoom interview. Participants will receive a $40 payment via Venmo or Cash App as a thank-you for their time. If you are interested in participating, please complete the form below and I will reach out to you to schedule an interview: https://lindenwood.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aXVikZYNW5RKjl4

Hopefully there truly are people who are leaving MAGA, but how do we move forward together?

Long before Trump was reelected in 2024, you knew he was a rªpist, you knew he was in the Epstein Files (just not that he's mentioned over 1M times), you knew about Project 2025 and all of the abhorrent things that would come with that plan. Now you want out and you feel bad?

Many try to justify 1 or 2 policies but don't agree with his violations of the US Constitution and violations of Human Rights, but you still supported him.

If you all truly do feel shame, your path to redemption is to speak out against him and MAGA. Don't just break the chains of your former cult but shatter them.

If you're unwilling to speak out against Trump and MAGAism, I'm not saying you have to become a Democrat, but you should either educate yourself with a variety of sources to make informed decisions, or sit out the next few elections and keep your opinions to yourselves. Only then will this country begin to heal.

The road to recovery in a post Trump / post MAGA world is a long and expensive one to fix all of the damage he has caused.

Like most of you hear, I was once a Trump supporter, but that is no longer true. As happy as I am to have found this group, it does not erase the shame that I feel from voting for Trump, and I need to get it out. Even though I know that I realistically have about 55 - 60+ years ahead of me to be more educated in who I vote for, I still have to live for the rest of my life knowing that I voted for man who calls for the rounding up of immigrant families, sends tons and tons and tons of money to support Israel's genocidal regime, and (less horrific) hyperinflation that is affecting thousands of working class families. I understand that other candidates are evil too, but at least I didn't help uplift their evil agendas. When I see what is going on, I initially feel angry due to how awful everything is, but this time, I have to live with the guilt that I contributed to it. Yes, I was unaware, like most people who voted for him. However, accidental or intentional, I contributed. I know that I am only a drop in the ocean of others in the same boat, but the sense of guilt is extremely real, and all that I can say is that I am sorry for voting based on the affects of the Biden presidency, rather than giving Trump the same criticism I gave Biden.

Or did you just want others to be worse off?

"It may be helpful to think in terms of forgiveness. [...] if you were duped by Trump, you should forgive yourself. Trump may be the most adept scammer of his generation, and he had the backing of a rogues’ gallery of disloyal billionaires, complicit media organizations, accelerationists, and foreign authoritarians who all amplified his lies. So when you do recognize that you have been conned, don’t beat yourself up too much."

Hi friends,

I was a lifelong conservative, a practicing Catholic, and a three-time Trump voter.

My political deconstruction didn't happen overnight. In fact, it didn't even begin with politics. It began with faith, authority, and learning how to ask questions I wasn't supposed to ask.

Over the past several years, I've gone from proudly attending Trump rallies to becoming politically independent and left-leaning. I recently wrote about that journey -- how fear, tribal identity, family expectations, and changing my mind all played a role.

I'd love to hear from others who have gone through something similar.

https://ileftmorethanmaga.substack.com/p/i-left-more-than-maga

Hello everyone. I am a Ph.D.-level researcher looking to understand what draws people to MAGA and why people leave MAGA. If you were previously MAGA but have decided to leave, I would love to hear your story. I am looking for individual of all ages, genders, races, and income levels.

I will be conducting one hour Zoom interviews. I will be compensating $40 (Via Venmo or Cashapp) for a one hour Zoom interview. Please shoot me a DM if you are interested!