President Trump frames most of his fears and grievances as existential threats to himself and his MAGA followers. He routinely describes threats in all‑or‑nothing terms: immigrants as criminals, political opponents as vermin, and elections or investigations as threats to America. Scholars call this crisis‑narrative, fear‑based rhetoric. Authoritarianism experts note that Trump — like other authoritarian leaders —  deliberately cultivates a sense that “an existential threat” looms over his loyal in‑group with claims that “I alone can fix it.”  ​

The exception to this existential orientation is impeachment. He, his followers and his liberal opponents all know that impeachment will happen when Republicans lose control of both chambers of congress.

Trump’s fear of impeachment intensifies amid declining approval ratings, mounting legal setbacks, and political pundits’ prediction of a blue wave in 2026 — all of which fuel perceptions of vulnerability among his in-group. These present-day realities amplify his many existential fears and create pressure that incites Trump to multiply and intensify his increasingly disjointed strategies for fear management on the public stage.

President Trump knows that his MAGA base needs to see him do something — do anything — that shows he is always the strong, indomitable, fearless savior whom they trust to allay all of their existential fears.  And he understands clearly that MAGA votes for Republicans in the 2026 election are his only hope of avoiding impeachment, which is the shame that he fears the most.