Only the boss has to like it How Trump's Republicans are betraying themselves

Whether scandals, election defeats or indictments: Donald Trump remains the undisputed center of power in the Republican Party. Anyone who disagrees risks political isolation - or worse.

Four criminal indictments, an attempted coup d'état, a constant stream of lies - and yet: Donald Trump still has a firm grip on the Republican Party. Hardly any other politician in US history has brought his party so completely into line as the ex-president.

What began as a temporary exception has become a permanent reality: Trump's word is his bond - criticism from within the party falls flat or is immediately sanctioned.

This is currently being demonstrated by the example of Erika McEntarfer. The former head of the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Statistics had to vacate her chair last week - due to a less than rosy labour market report. Trump accused McEntarfer of spreading "manipulated figures" - as proof, he simply said: "That's my opinion."

For months, the office had provided data that put Trump's government in the best light - including rising employment and growth in industrial jobs. As recently as April, Trump proudly presented a corresponding graphic in the Oval Office, and press spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt celebrated the figures on X with "GREAT NEWS!".

However, the words of praise from the Republicans quickly came to an end after the dismissal. The right-wing camp performed a remarkable about-turn, with Vice President JD Vance, for example, saying that he welcomed the dismissal and was "completely in line with President Trump". A few hours earlier, he had spoken of "great numbers" at an event.

Fear as a political tool

Central to Trump's power of loyalty is the pressure from his own base. Republican MPs fear nothing more than being replaced by a candidate close to Trump in the primaries. Anyone who stood up against Trump's election conspiracy narrative, like Liz Cheney, was quickly politically isolated - or lost their seat.

In addition, Trump deliberately relies on personal attacks. He brands critics as "RINOs" (Republicans In Name Only) and mocks them at events or on social networks. The message: anyone who dissents becomes a public target.

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Physical threats also play a role. Several local politicians have reported death threats after contradicting Trump's election fraud claims. The memory of the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 remains vivid - and shows how quickly words can turn into violence.

Even after this caesura, almost all the top Republican politicians returned to Trump's orbit. Kevin McCarthy, who initially sharply criticized him, travelled to Mar-a-Lago a few weeks later. Lindsey Graham announced after briefly distancing himself: "We can't go on without Trump."

Power over content and institutions

Trump has also managed to redefine traditional Republican positions. When he presented a gigantic 4.1 trillion dollar spending package in the summer of 2025 - something that would previously have been considered a fall from grace - the majority of the party backed him. Deficits, interest rate warnings, fiscal principles? Expediently thrown overboard.

Trump's power is based on a political balance of fear, control and opportunism. The Republicans are following suit because they want to survive politically - even if that means relativizing basic democratic rules.

In the long term, experts fear that this dynamic could become dangerous: A party that no longer allows dissent loses its ability to self-correct. And a democracy in which political institutions subordinate themselves to an individual loses its resilience. But for now, it remains the same: Trump is pulling - and the Republicans are following.