BY Rosemary
Gathering in a hotel convention space just outside the nation’s capital, a coalition of Republicans, former Republicans and independents delivered a stark message this weekend: they believe President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress are eroding the foundations of American democracy.
The warnings were urgent and, at times, emotional. A former member of Congress labeled today’s Republican Party “an authoritarian-embracing cult.” A prominent conservative commentator described Trumpism as an “existential threat” to the country’s constitutional order. A retired Army general, his voice wavering, invoked the reconstruction of post-Nazi Germany as a potential blueprint for America’s long-term recovery after Trump’s political era.
Yet the audience for those arguments appeared limited.
Inside the main ballroom at the sixth annual Principles First summit, rows of empty chairs underscored the movement’s marginal position within the broader Republican coalition. Roughly 750 seats were arranged in a hall built to accommodate several thousand attendees. Many remained unoccupied throughout the two-day program. Not a single sitting Republican elected official took part.
The event offered a snapshot of what remains of the GOP’s “Never Trump” movement — a loose alliance that formed as Trump consolidated control over the party and reshaped its ideological priorities. Participants described themselves as politically homeless: unwilling to align fully with Democrats, yet alienated from a Republican Party they argue has abandoned long-standing commitments to limited government, free trade and institutional norms.
John McDowell, 69, a former Capitol Hill staffer and longtime Republican activist from San Carlos, California, acknowledged that the faction now wields virtually no influence within his former party.
“It’s just a fact. We’re losing good people,” McDowell said. “The party is becoming more and more MAGA-fied.”
The White House dismissed the gathering and its criticisms. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson characterized attendees as irrelevant figures clinging to past prominence and predicted the event would draw little public attention beyond routine political coverage.
Despite their diminished footprint, many at the summit expressed hope that broader political currents may eventually shift. Several speakers pointed to a recent Supreme Court decision striking down Trump’s tariffs — a policy he had pursued without congressional approval in an effort to pressure both allies and adversaries abroad. Though Trump has vowed to implement a new round of tariffs, critics at the conference framed the ruling as evidence that institutional checks remain intact.
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, once a Trump adviser and now a vocal critic, cited recent polling indicating that roughly one-quarter of Republican voters do not approve of the president’s job performance. He suggested that political fatigue could deepen over time.
“It’s like any show that’s on TV for a long time — the ratings start to go down,” Christie told the audience. “And the ratings are going down.” He predicted that attendance at future gatherings would grow if electoral setbacks materialize in the midterm elections.
Rich Logis, a former ardent supporter of Trump who now campaigns against the MAGA movement, wore a red cap emblazoned with the words “I left MAGA.” He said he believes the country may be approaching what he called an “electoral revolt” against the president’s political brand.
“I think there’s a shift in our country right now,” Logis said. “It happens slowly.”
Logis staffed a table outside the convention hall promoting support networks for families and friends of committed Trump loyalists. Nearby, vendors sold books focused on helping individuals disengage from high-control groups, reinforcing the conference’s underlying theme that Trump’s movement has taken on cult-like characteristics.
At the podium, former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh urged fellow critics not to minimize what he sees as the gravity of the moment. He described Trump as embodying the very abuses of power that America’s founders sought to guard against and warned that complacency could allow further democratic erosion.
Retired Gen. Mark Hertling, who previously commanded U.S. Army forces in Europe, said he has been troubled by conversations with foreign counterparts who question whether American institutions remain dependable.
“Our nation’s institutions have been shaken. Our alliances have been strained. Our credibility has been damaged. And our nation’s values have been cast aside,” Hertling said. He suggested that meaningful restoration of U.S. standing — both domestically and internationally — would require sustained effort over many years.
Longtime conservative strategist Bill Kristol, who served in previous Republican administrations and later founded The Weekly Standard, argued that Trump and his congressional allies pose a fundamental threat to constitutional governance. At the same time, he projected confidence that upcoming elections could alter the balance of power, predicting Democrats are well-positioned to retake the House of Representatives and potentially make gains in the Senate, with an eye toward the 2028 presidential race.
Nearly everyone in attendance signaled support for Democratic victories in the coming midterms as a corrective measure. Among the few Democrats present was former Pennsylvania Congressman Conor Lamb, who lost a Senate primary to John Fetterman four years ago.
Brittany Martinez, executive director of Principles First and a former Republican staffer on Capitol Hill, acknowledged the steep challenges facing her organization and like-minded conservatives. She recounted her decision to leave Republican politics but expressed hope that others within the party may eventually reconsider its current trajectory.
“I hope that Republicans continue to wake up,” Martinez said. “I do think that those folks exist. And I hope that they exist in greater numbers.”
For now, however, the movement remains small, outspoken and largely estranged from the party it once called home — determined to sound the alarm, even as the broader Republican electorate appears firmly aligned with the president they oppose.
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