Is MAGA Turning Into a Cult? Ex-Trump Insider Reveals the Disturbing Truth Behind Party's 'Rotting Core'

On 15 October 2025, former Trump administration official Miles Taylor warned that the MAGA movement now has a 'rotting core'. Taylor, who served as Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security under Donald Trump, said the movement has been 'grooming weak little loser incels for cruelty.'

His comments came after leaked Telegram group chats from Young Republican groups exposed racist, sexist, and neo-Nazi content shared by several GOP operatives and a state senator. Taylor claimed this scandal shows how extremism once hidden on the edges of the party has now moved to its centre. He described the situation as a 'cultural decay' that top Republican leaders are enabling.

Ex-Trump Insider Compares MAGA Movement Before Trump

Taylor first gained national attention in 2018 as the anonymous author of a New York Times op-ed revealing internal resistance to Trump's policies. Before joining the Trump administration, he worked in the Bush-Cheney White House and under Vice President Dick Cheney.

In an interview with MSNBC, Taylor said that during the George W. Bush era, the Republican Party had moral standards and accountability. He noted that leaders like John McCain, John Boehner, and Paul Ryan would have never tolerated hate-filled rhetoric or extremist behaviour.

'When I came up in the GOP and George W. Bush was president, this would not have been tolerated', Taylor recalled. He added that his generation of conservatives would have been 'kicked out the door' for spreading such hate.

Taylor Reveals MAGA Movement's Rotting Core

Taylor said the MAGA movement's foundation has decayed, with racism and cruelty now replacing traditional conservative ideals. 'Make no mistake, Chris, this stuff existed on the fringes. But now it's not the fringes anymore. It's the core. It's the rotting core of the party', he said.

He blamed US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance for allowing extremism to flourish. 'These guys, like JD Vance, are grooming young men in the Republican Party. They are grooming them for cruelty', Taylor stated. He warned that young conservatives are being raised to target minorities and treat hate speech as humour.

The leaked Telegram chats — filled with antisemitic and racist remarks — showed what Taylor called the 'moral collapse' of the movement's younger generation. He said Trump-aligned leaders have ignored this behaviour, fuelling deeper division.

Young Republicans Scandal Now Linked to GOP Rivals

The scandal grew after POLITICO published nearly 3,000 pages of leaked chats among Young Republican leaders across the US on 15 October 2025. The leaks included offensive remarks from members connected to New York GOP figures. Some were employed by elected officials at the time.

New York Democrats, including Governor Kathy Hochul and Senator Chuck Schumer, condemned the messages and linked them to Republican rivals. Hochul said, 'Antisemitism is a real issue. Political violence is a real issue. Racism is a real issue. The nonstop excuses are bullshit.'

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused GOP leaders of hypocrisy, naming Mike Lawler and Elise Stefanik as allies of those involved. Stefanik dismissed the report as a 'hit piece' and shifted blame toward left-wing groups.

Some Republicans, including JD Vance, defended the accused members, saying young men often tell 'edgy, offensive jokes'. Yet, several state Young Republican federations condemned the chats, calling them against the party's values. Six individuals, including Arizona Chair Luke Mosiman and New York's Annie Kaykaty, later lost their posts.

What Americans Can Do, According to Miles Taylor

Taylor warned that ignoring MAGA's moral decay will deepen extremism in US politics. He urged citizens to confront the issue at every level.

'We don't just look at these Young Republicans. We hold the mirror up to their mentors. Their mentors are condoning it. And it goes all the way to the top — Donald Trump and JD Vance,' he said.

He encouraged Americans to demand accountability from leaders who normalise hate and rebuild a Republican Party grounded in decency and democracy. Taylor described this as a fight for the moral soul of conservatism, urging people to reject cruelty and reclaim the integrity once associated with the party.