MAGA movement may be at the end of the beginning

Columnist Andrew Phillips argues this week’s events — including Donald Trump’s shift on how immigration enforcement was to be carried out and widespread protests in Minneapolis — could mark a turning point for the MAGA movement, but he says the outcome remains uncertain.

The new narrative about U.S. politics is that this week might mark a turning point for the MAGA movement. The author says this is not the end of MAGA, but perhaps the end of its "beginning" as pushback grows. Key developments include Donald Trump’s retreat on how he planned to enforce an immigration crackdown and strong public reaction after fatal incidents in Minneapolis. The piece also highlights international pushback, notably reactions to remarks about Greenland, and the size of grassroots protests in Minneapolis. What happened: - President Trump pivoted on the method of an immigration crackdown while keeping the policy goal intact, after criticism of enforcement actions in Minneapolis. - Two killings in Minneapolis (Renee Good and Alex Pretti) and strong language from some of Trump’s aides drew public and Republican scrutiny. - Some Republican officials expressed concern about the political fallout, and a New York Times analysis cited electoral fear as a factor in their response. - International reactions at Davos, including commentary around remarks about Greenland and NATO, were widely reported as signaling limits to tolerance for some U.S. actions. - Large grassroots protests in Minneapolis are noted as a hopeful force for those seeking pushback against recent policy moves. Summary: The article suggests these developments could represent an early stage of pushback against elements of the MAGA agenda, but it stops short of declaring a decisive shift. Impact is still unfolding and how this will affect party alignments or upcoming elections is undetermined at this time.