Former President Donald Trump embraced the notion that his movement was “ultra-MAGA” Wednesday morning, a term that President Biden deployed Tuesday to deride his Republican predecessor and his most ardent supporters.
Mr. Biden has described the ultra-MAGA (the shorthand for Mr. Trump’s trademark “Make America Great Again” mantra) movement as even more extremist and a greater threat to the country than the original MAGA movement launched by Mr. Trump when he won the presidency in 2016. But Mr. Trump’s team is taking the insult as a compliment, using it to take some shots at Mr. Biden’s own record.
“We could use a little ultra-MAGA — record low gas prices, most secure border, no new wars right about now,” Mr. Trump’s spokeswoman Liz Harrington told The Washington Times in a statement.
Democrats say the term describes “extremists” in the Republican Party who favor such policies as outlawing the right to an abortion, lumping certain former Trump administration officials into that group, including former senior White House adviser Stephen Miller and ex-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. But many in the GOP welcome the branding.
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, New York Republican, told The Times, “I am ultra-Maga and proud of it.”
Republicans say Mr. Biden is simply looking to find a scapegoat to attack as the country faces soaring inflation and skyrocketing gas prices.
“I’m proud to be an ultra-MAGA,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Republican. Mr. Biden’s remarks “signify a true shift. He’s moving away from an indictment of President Trump specifically to now trying to indict an entire political movement that they fear.”
Rep. Barry Moore, Alabama Republican, tweeted that “being ultra-MAGA” should be required of all elected officials.
“How can our own president think returning this country to greatness is ‘extreme?!’ Being ‘ultra-MAGA’ should be a requirement for every elected official,” he said.
“Retweet if you’re PROUD to be ‘ultra-MAGA!’ I know I am!,” said Rep. Ronny Jackson, Texas Republican.
Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks of Indiana tweeted, “Wanting to make America great isn’t an insult unless you’re purposely trying to make it worse! #UltraMAGA.”
Sen. Christopher Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, said the defining characteristic of the ultra-MAGA movement is a desire to “overturn democracy.”
“His followers believe that [Mr. Trump] should be president even though he didn’t win the election,” he said. “So when I think about Donald Trump’s movement, I think first and foremost about a movement that’s trying to overturn democracy. The stakes of that would be cataclysmic for this country.”
Nevertheless, Mr. Trump has steadily expanded his field of endorsements and supporters inside and outside of Washington. He has kept busy endorsing midterm congressional GOP candidates this cycle, whom he has joined on the campaign trail to help boost their chances during the primary season.
Ohio Republican Senate nominee J.D. Vance and Rep. Alex Mooney, West Virginia Republican, benefited from recent endorsements from Mr. Trump before winning their respective primaries. But Mr. Trump’s choice in Nebraska’s GOP gubernatorial primary Tuesday night, businessman Charles Herbster, was defeated.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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