Donald Trump, once shunned in Washington, is being feted by a new coalition

It’s a sign of just how broad the MAGA coalition has grown, and how contentious the fights ahead are likely to become as the new factions in Trump’s orbit compete for influence. “There’s a much wider nexus of groups, celebrities and media personalities that want to be a part of this celebration,” said Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point, which is hosting a ball Jan. 19. 2024 represents a much broader embrace and enthusiasm that Trumpism and the movement he sparked has won, not just politically but culturally and ideologically.” Critics have blasted Passage Publishing for spreading nativist works that push the country toward autocratic values, including a recent HuffPo article that criticized the name of the ball itself — “the 2025 Coronation Ball” — as an example of the “authoritarian nature of the black-tie soiree.” Jack Posobiec, an influential MAGA podcaster, is one of many organizers and high-profile attendees who have turned that into a badge of honor. “Because this is a regime change.” Other first-time events, such as the Crypto Ball and the MAHA Inaugural Ball, highlight the previously disjointed interests that Trump knit together into a winning coalition. “If Trump 1.0 led to ‘the resistance,’” Kolvet said, “Trump 2.0 has led to ‘the acquiescence.’” The events also reflect the Republican Party’s increasing appeal to non-white voters, and the Trump campaign’s efforts to court Black and Latino voters, especially men.