‘No More Republican Party’: Donald Trump Jr. Now Hints MAGA Has Taken Control — but Still Fears Losing to Democrats

Donald Trump Jr. delivered a blunt and unapologetic message to thousands of conservative activists Sunday at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in Phoenix: the Republican Party is dead, replaced by his father’s MAGA movement—and any lingering resistance from traditional Republicans must be crushed.

The remarks, met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation, showed the deepening divide within the broader conservative coalition as the 2026 midterms approach.

Speaking on the final day of the four-day conference, the 47-year-old Trump scion framed the political moment as existential.

“We have to stay involved. We have to stay in the game,” he told the crowd. “Midterms are coming around the corner, and make no mistake, the Democrat Party wants to do whatever they possibly can to shut this movement down.”

He then turned his fire inward: “Not just the Democrats. The RINOs [Republicans in Name Only]. You see the manufactured attacks on JD [Vance], myself, my father—anyone who understands that this isn’t the Republican Party anymore. It’s the America First Party. It’s the Make America Great Again Party, and we are not going back.”

The declaration drew roaring cheers, reflecting the dominance of the MAGA faction within the GOP base. Yet Don Jr.’s confidence masked an underlying anxiety: the fear that Democrats could reclaim the House or Senate in 2026, stripping Republicans of their slim majorities and potentially opening the door to impeachment proceedings against his father.

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A Conference Marked by Infighting

AmericaFest, the annual flagship event of Turning Point USA, has long served as a rallying point for young conservatives. This year’s gathering, however, was shadowed by internal fractures and public feuds among prominent figures.

Podcaster Ben Shapiro, speaking on the opening day, accused parts of the movement of being overrun by “frauds and grifters” who traffic in “conspiracism and dishonesty.” He singled out Tucker Carlson for hosting far-right activist Nick Fuentes—whom Shapiro called “a Hitler apologist, Nazi-loving, anti-American piece of refuse”—and labeled Steve Bannon a “PR flack for Jeffrey Epstein” in reference to recent photo releases from Epstein’s estate.

Bannon fired back during his own speech, calling Shapiro “a cancer” and warning that he would eventually try to seize control of Turning Point USA. “Ben Shapiro is like a cancer, and that cancer spreads,” Bannon said. “Mark my word, he will make a move on Turning Point, because he’s always been envious of Charlie Kirk.”

Vice President JD Vance, closing the event Sunday, attempted to project unity while sidestepping calls to condemn antisemitic rhetoric within the movement. “We don’t care if you’re White or Black, rich or poor, young or old, rural or urban, controversial or a little bit boring, or somewhere in between,” he said. “We have far more important work to do than canceling each other.”

Vance added: “Charlie invited all of us here for a reason—because he believed that each of us, all of us, had something worth saying, and he trusted all of you to make your own judgment.”

The remarks drew criticism from some who saw them as a refusal to draw clear lines against extremism.

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The Shadow of Charlie Kirk

The conference carried an emotional undercurrent due to the recent death of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot in September during a campus event. His widow, Erika Kirk, now leads the organization and has become a central figure at AmericaFest. The event featured a controversial replica of the booth where Kirk was killed, drawing both tributes and backlash.

Don Jr.’s speech paid tribute to Kirk’s legacy while reinforcing MAGA’s dominance. His claim that the GOP has been supplanted by the “America First Party” reflects a broader shift: Trump loyalists increasingly view traditional Republican structures as obstacles rather than allies.

The conference came at a precarious moment for Republicans. With narrow majorities in Congress and growing economic concerns, the party faces a challenging 2026 cycle.

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Don Jr.’s warning about Democratic efforts to “shut this movement down” highlights the fear that a loss of control in the House or Senate could lead to renewed impeachment efforts against his father.

The open infighting—Shapiro vs. Bannon, Vance’s sidestepping of extremism—suggests a movement wrestling with its identity. While MAGA retains a firm grip on the base, the alienation of traditional conservatives and moderates could prove costly in competitive races.

For now, Don Jr.’s message was clear: the old Republican Party is gone. The future belongs to MAGA—and any resistance must be purged. Whether that strategy unites or fractures the right further will be tested in the months ahead.