Trump supporters: From ‘feeling bold’ to fear of the ‘dark side’

Trump fans enthused as America prepares to vote, writes Joyce Fegan

Jake Baker wears his MAGA hat to feel “bold.”

“It makes me feel bold. It makes me feel like we can do whatever we want and say whatever we want and not feel like you’re going to be punished for it,” says the 29-year-old Trump supporter.

He’s in Washington DC on holidays. He’s a Republican from Dallas. He thought his hat would “trigger” people. Jake also hasn’t seen anyone else wearing a MAGA cap. “I thought there was going to be a little bit of triggering going on, but for the most part there hasn’t.

“I’ve not seen another person wearing this hat. I want people to feel bold. I want people to feel OK,” he says, on the eve of the US midterm elections.

While he hasn’t seen anyone else wearing any other Trump merchandise, he has received positive feedback here in super-liberal DC, not “blowback” as he predicted.

I was surprised. I haven’t had a whole lot of blowback.

“Every now and then there have been people that have said: ‘Hey I like your hat,’ or ‘go Trump’,” he says, outside the White House, his girlfriend standing silently on.

Does she agree with him? “Oh yes,” she says, handing him her star-spangled umbrella, because it will compliment his cap in the photo.

Jake Baker

Jake is very proud of America, a country he feels is “very free” and possibly the “greatest” on the planet.

“We’ve got lots of jobs, lots of opportunity — that’s why everyone is trying to move here, so to me it’s one of the greatest countries, if not the greatest country in the world,” says the Texan.

As for people with altering views to this 20-something — he doesn’t meet it within his all-Republican family but he does elsewhere.

“Between friends it’s fine but if it’s somebody I don’t know then yeah it can be divisive. I just try and be respectful in general, but it’s just politics right?” he says.

And can he understand why people would have altering views?

“There are obviously people who have different experiences and live different lives than I do, I can certainly understand that they’re going to have a different view of the world than I do,” he says.

In today’s midterm elections he’s sure the Republicans will keep control in the Senate, but he’s “concerned” about the House of Representatives.

On the far side of the spectrum is a group of four men, who have held vigil outside the White House, 24-7, 365 days of the year since 1971, protesting against nuclear power and for protecting the environment.

For them, the ability to “say whatever they like” isn’t so free. Nor is it for their friends, some of whom, are afraid to protest in case they’re seen and it harms their jobs.

Neil Cousins believes that the “freedom of speech and the freedom to express yourself is under attack in America.”

“It used not be like this. When we started this 1.2m stood with us. Now people are afraid to protest. I have friends who won’t come out in case it affects their jobs,” he says.

For Gary Quinter, Trump simply must go — because he brings out the “dark side” in people. “I like to talk to people about different issues. Things have really taken a step back with Trump, he’s taking us in the wrong direction. It’s terrible.

“We need to get Trump out of here, he seems to bring out the dark side in people. He gives a green light to anti-Semites, white nationalists, racism, homophobes to come out of the woodwork,” says Gary.

For him, the worst part is those who like Trump, including homeless people and women. “The sad part is people embrace him, even homeless people, black homeless people like him. I can’t believe it. He lies, 6,000 lies last month,” he says.