When I was a MAGA believer, I told myself I was fighting for freedom. I was certain we needed a revolution to tear down our established political order.

It took me years to realize what I was really after: a sense of belonging.

Just like their liberal and moderate compatriots, most people inside the MAGA community sense that something in the country is amiss. Once you’ve built your identity around a cause, however, it’s painful to admit that identity may be based on falsehoods. Leaving doesn’t just mean changing your mind — it means losing your community, your purpose and the feeling that you matter.

I know this because I lived it. For years, I was so deep in MAGA that it strained my relationships with my wife and longtime friends. I even became a MAGA pundit, writing op-eds and hosting

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