"How the Hell Can Any Veteran or Military Member Support Trump?" I Have Brutally Honest Answers

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #358

Let me say it right off the bat, in case you’re new here: I don’t do polite fiction. If you're looking for someone to tell you that all opinions are valid and we should hug it out with people who wipe their boots on the Constitution…you’re in the wrong damn place.

Because I keep getting the same gut-punched question from subscribers…followers...veterans… families of the fallen: "How can any veteran…Republican or Democrat…vote for and support Donald Trump?"

A great question:

One that very few every have come close to answering adequately. My knee-jerk response would be (and when I’ve been tired…it has been,) “Because they’re thick headed idiots who don’t know their asses from their elbows!”

Like I said, catch me tired…sleepy…and hungry…and that may very well be the answer I give you.

It feels great to think…say…or write…but because of my knowledge and experience in my area of expertise….I know that’s not true. I wish it were that damn simple. But…the fact is…it’s not.

That can frustrate people…because we love simple explanations.

But…we have to deal with the truth. Even…and especially when the truth is hard. This isn’t just some intellectual exercise. It’s personal. It’s visceral.

Trump didn’t just disagree with you—he called your brothers and sisters in arms "suckers" and "losers."

“I’m not a veteran,” you say? I’d argue you are—just a different kind. You’ve endured nearly a decade of Trump chipping away at democracy…at the Constitution…at the very idea of truth. And yet—you’re still here. Still standing. Still fighting.

That kind of grit? That kind of resolve? Sounds like a veteran to me.

So yeah—we’re all in this together. Brothers. Sisters. Defenders of what’s right…even when the battle comes without a uniform.

Now, that question of, “How the hell can any veteran or military member support Trump?!”

Trump pardoned war criminals and incited a mob to attack the seat of democracy…then tried to rewrite history as if we all forgot what a noose and gallows outside the Capitol looks like. (I’ll bet Mike Pence hasn’t forgotten about how close he came to finding out what bristely rope feels like.)

Yet…a lot of veterans and active duty military members still support him.

So…yeah, it’s a fair damn question. And it deserves a full…unflinching answer. I’m going to deliver that…now.

Here’s what I consider the top 10 reasons why many veterans and active duty military members still support Donald Trump:

1. Party Before Country: The Power of Tribal Loyalty

Let’s start here: Party identity…for a lot of Americans…is stronger than religious affiliation…stronger than regional loyalty…and certainly stronger than facts.

Think of political identity like a sports team jersey. You wear it every day...you defend your team even when they blow the lead…and you hate the rival team more than you love your own.

That’s how deep party loyalty runs.

Facts become flexible…and principles become negotiable when the party line is on the table.

Trump didn’t need to be a patriot—he only needed to be the figurehead of the Republican tribe. He didn’t need to be good for the country—he just needed to be bad for the Democrats.

And once he absorbed the GOP…supporting Trump became the new Republican identity. Like a rebranded mascot…they stuck with the colors even when the values changed.

Tribalism doesn’t ask, "Is this right?" It asks, "Is this ours?"

That’s why many veterans who leaned Republican for decades followed Trump off the cliff. He wrapped himself in their symbols—flags…eagles…troops—and they mistook costume for character.

2. Geography: The Red-State Bubble

Where you’re from matters. It shapes your worldview…your expectations…and your politics. If you’re raised in a red-state stronghold…your political diet was probably three parts flag-waving…two parts church…and one part suspicion of liberals.

I know mine was—except for the church part. My mother did her best...bless her heart…but I pushed back hard.

I wasn’t trying to be difficult. I just asked the questions you’re not supposed to ask—the ones that make adults shift in their seats and give answers that don’t hold up to daylight.

Nobody—and I mean nobody—could give me a straight answer. Even at twelve years old…I knew something was off. Eventually, I wore her down. She stopped making me go to church…and I kept asking questions.

My point is: I know what it’s like to grow up in that red-state…rural environment.

The pressure to conform…to believe, to fall in line…it’s not just social…it’s spiritual. And if you don’t break out early…that environment can become the lens through which you see everything…for the rest of your life.

It’s not indoctrination—it’s environmental saturation.

You hear it in school…at the gas station…at the dinner table. “Liberals are weak.” “Democrats hate the military.” “Blue states are crime-ridden hellholes.” That’s the rhythm of life in a lot of red counties.

Veterans from these areas return home to a support network that reinforces this worldview. Their churches preach it. Their friends vote it. Their news feeds confirm it.

It’s an ecosystem designed to protect its beliefs and reject outside data like a bad organ transplant. If reality doesn’t fit, it’s discarded.

And when Trump strolled in like a swaggering sheriff…these communities didn’t ask for credentials…they handed him the badge.

3. Religious Beliefs and the Cult of the Strongman

Trump isn’t a religious man. But he played one on TV.

To evangelical America…he presented himself as a hammer sent by heaven. Not holy…but useful. He appointed judge…attacked abortion rights…and promised to return God to the public square—even if he couldn’t name a single Bible verse.

The religious right didn’t want Christ. They wanted Constantine. They didn’t want grace—they wanted dominion.

Trump gave them that fantasy: a flawed king chosen by God to vanquish the wicked and lift the righteous. Never mind the adultery…the cruelty…the greed.

This was spiritual war…and Trump was their golden calf with a Twitter account.

Veterans steeped in this worldview were told that to reject Trump was to betray God’s plan.

That’s not politics—that’s the foundation of a cult. And cults don’t need facts. They just need faith in the chosen one.

4. Personality Vulnerabilities and the Allure of Authoritarianism

Some people are drawn to strongmen the way moths are drawn to bug zappers. Not because they’re weak, but because they crave certainty in a world that’s chaotic.

Authoritarians speak in absolutes: “I alone can fix it. Believe me. Everyone else is lying.”

That simplicity is intoxicating—especially for veterans who spent years in rigid command structures…trained to follow orders…not question them.

Trump understood this. He strutted like a general…barked like a drill sergeant… punished dissent like a dictator. And for some…that felt like leadership. But it wasn’t strength. It was insecurity with a bullhorn.

Veterans who mistook Trump’s chest-thumping for courage missed the deeper truth: real strength leads with humility. Trump only knows domination.

Authoritarianism also taps into something primal: the desire for order over chaos…for control over uncertainty. Veterans, having operated in high-stress environments with clearly defined roles and rules…may mistake authoritarian leadership for efficiency.

It feels familiar. But familiarity isn’t the same as freedom—and it certainly isn’t justice.

Moreover, Trump offered something many authoritarians do—a sense of belonging to an elite…a chosen group who “sees the truth” while the rest of the world is blind.

That tribal allure can override logic. It can make otherwise rational people excuse actions they’d condemn in anyone else.

It’s not about Trump’s record—it’s about the identity he offers them in return for loyalty. (Read that again…to my knowledge…no one in the media has told you this.)

5. The Grievance Machine

Trump is a grievance engine…always running hot. Veterans who came home to a country that didn’t deliver on its promises—broken VA systems…forgotten wars… indifferent politicians—found in Trump a man who channeled their frustration.

So when I see veterans rally behind someone who says, “I’ll fix it,” I understand. I don’t agree—but I understand. Desperation distorts judgment.

And when the system breaks you, the first voice that promises to smash it sounds a lot like salvation.

He didn’t soothe their anger. He weaponized it. He didn’t offer hope. He offered revenge. He pointed to immigrants…liberals…journalists, and said, "They did this to you." That lie became gospel.

For veterans already disillusioned…it was easier to blame a scapegoat than to face the hard truth: the system used them and spit them out. Trump offered an emotional refund—rage…wrapped in a flag. It wasn’t healing. It was anesthesia.

And once that rage is ignited…it’s hard to extinguish. It becomes part of identity. It defines who you trust…who you vote for…and who you despise.

Trump didn’t just tap into resentment—he rewired it into a permanent state of siege… where compromise feels like surrender and moderation feels like betrayal.

Worse, he convinced many that their grievances weren’t just real—they were righteous. That they were the victims of a grand betrayal. That they had every right to be angry—and to aim that anger wherever he pointed.

And for veterans…already trained to follow orders and respond to threats…it turned political theater into a psychological battlefield.

6. The Media Bubble and the Info-War

We’re not in a debate. We’re in an information war.

Right-wing media doesn’t inform—it inoculates. Against facts. Against reality.

Veterans drowning in Fox News, Facebook memes, and algorithm-fed rage aren’t just misinformed—they’re programmed. The bubble is tight. The air is thin. And everything outside it is "fake news."

In that world, Trump didn’t insult soldiers—he honored them. He didn’t incite an insurrection—he defended democracy.

The Big Lie isn’t a glitch. It’s the main feature.

Veterans who question it risk exile from their communities. So many stay quiet. Or worse—they join in.

This isn’t accidental. It’s strategic. Trump and his allies spent years discrediting traditional media…so when the truth finally does come out…his supporters are already vaccinated against it.

It’s the perfect feedback loop: misinformation breeds loyalty…loyalty rejects correction…and rejection fuels deeper misinformation.

Social media makes this worse. Algorithms feed outrage like oxygen to a fire. A veteran posts a legitimate concern about Trump…and within seconds they’re flooded with rebuttals…memes…and pseudo-patriotic propaganda.

It’s not discourse—it’s digital intimidation. And it works.

Even military forums, once havens for tough love and truth-telling…have been infected. Threads questioning Trump get locked. Users get dogpiled or banned.

The irony? Places built on service and sacrifice are now hotbeds for conspiracy theories that dishonor both.

We’re not just losing arguments—we’re losing reality. And if we don’t tear down this bubble from the inside out…we’re going to lose the republic too.

Did I mention how fast we’re losing reality?

7. The Myth of the Strongman Savior

In times of fear…people don’t want democracy. They want a king.

That’s the myth Trump sells: “America needs a hard man for hard times. A savior with swagger…fists clenched…rules be damned. “

To his supporters…including many veterans…he’s not the villain. He’s the anti-hero. Dirty but necessary.

This strongman fantasy is seductive because it offers an escape from complexity. Democracy is messy. It requires patience…compromise…listening.

A strongman promises to clean it all up with a single command. No debate. No dissent. For some, that sounds like relief. But it’s the kind of relief that comes just before collapse.

Look at history. Strongmen rise with promises and parades. They fall with violence and ruin.

Veterans who put their faith in Trump are gambling their honor on a man who treats truth like toilet paper and power like a drug.

It won’t end well—for them…or for the country.

Strongmen don’t save democracies. They end them. The Founders didn’t fight a king so we could elect one.

Veterans who support Trump under this illusion aren’t defending freedom—they’re burying it under the weight of a golden crown.

8. Because Admitting You Were Wrong Is Harder Than Doubling Down

Cognitive dissonance is a hell of a drug.

Once someone goes all in on Trump—especially someone whose identity is wrapped in patriotism—admitting the betrayal feels impossible.

Veterans pride themselves on loyalty…discipline…honor. Realizing they were conned by a draft-dodging grifter who calls fallen heroes "losers"? That’s a hard pill to swallow.

So instead, many pretend it didn’t happen. Or worse—they defend it.

Doubling down is safer than owning up. But it’s also cowardice dressed as conviction. And the longer they lie to themselves…the deeper they drag the country into the delusion.

9. Why Some Active-Duty Members Still Support Trump

This one stings. Active-duty members swore the same oath: to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies…foreign and domestic.

And yet, some still rally behind a man who tried to bend that Constitution to his will.

Why? For many, it’s the same cocktail as veterans: political indoctrination, cultural environment, peer pressure.

The military is not apolitical in practice—units reflect the regions they recruit from…and the culture of command often mirrors the dominant politics of the officers in charge.

In some units, questioning Trump would be social suicide.

Add to that the allure of "strength" and the illusion of stability Trump projects. He talks like a general…postures like a warfighter…and praises them loudly.

For some active-duty members…especially young and impressionable ones…that performative patriotism looks like respect—even if it’s hollow.

But let’s be clear: loyalty to a uniform doesn’t justify loyalty to a man who mocks the Constitution.

And supporting Trump from inside the ranks isn’t patriotism. It’s a slow rot. The oath demands better. The country deserves better. And history will remember who stood for the flag—and who wrapped themselves in it to commit the betrayal.

10. So What the Hell Do We Do With This?

There’s no shortcut to redemption…no magic phrase that undoes the damage. The only way forward is through the hard…unrelenting work of truth-telling.

We don’t win by whispering or waiting. We win by standing our ground and refusing to let lies become legacy.

We fight with truth. With clarity. With moral courage.

We speak up—not just online…but in our communities…our families…our units…our churches. We challenge the mythologies people have built around Trump…brick by brick.

Not with condescension…but with conviction. Because silence isn’t neutrality—it’s complicity.

We also remind each other—and ourselves—that patriotism is not blind loyalty. It’s the courage to hold your country accountable.

Real patriotism means loving this country enough to protect it from the people trying to turn it into something it was never meant to be.

We don’t coddle this betrayal. We call it what it is. We reach out to those who can still hear—and we drown out the rest with votes…voices…and unflinching defense of the Constitution.

Because loving America means defending it from enemies—foreign…domestic…and sometimes dressed in red hats waving flags they don’t understand.

Not because our fallen were suckers.

But because they were patriots. And they deserve better than this.

11. One More Thing: I Know Because I Lived It

I understand this. Not just because I was a Republican for decades. I’m a veteran too. One who nearly died from a traumatic brain injury.

One who had to fight like hell for years to get the care I needed…navigating a system that seemed built to wear me down.

There were moments during that fight—raw…angry…hopeless moments—where if the Devil himself had been on the ballot promising to fix the VA…I’d have punched the ticket.

That’s what desperation does. It clouds judgment. It convinces you that anyone swinging a wrecking ball must have your back.

When you’re drowning…you don’t check the credentials of the hand reaching down—you just grab it.

So I don’t speak from some high horse—I speak from the floor I had to crawl across. I understand how a veteran…hurting and unheard…might latch on to a loudmouth promising vengeance.

But understanding it doesn’t mean excusing it. We owe our oath…and our fallen…a hell of a lot more than that.

Okay…I’ll be back soon…with even more.

Coming Tomorrow for Paid Subscribers Only

If you’ve been losing sleep…wondering what happens if the chaos comes here. What if the military shows up in your town? What if the systems we rely on crack overnight?

Tomorrow’s post is your blueprint for peace of mind.

I’ll walk you through how to prepare your home…protect your finances…safeguard your healthcare…and get your household ready…without draining your bank account.

This isn’t fear-mongering. It’s freedom through preparation.

Free subscribers? You’ll only get a glimpse.

I’ll give you a no-cost preview—just enough to see what you’re missing…and if you’re ready to start getting every bit…of every issue of JHN.

But if you want the full blueprint to protect your home…finances…and health when chaos comes knocking…you’ll need to subscribe.

Peace of mind starts with preparation.

In closing…I’ll just say this:

If you’ve ever asked, “How the hell can veterans and/or active duty military members support Trump?!” I’m confident that even if you weren’t comforted by the answers (and really, who would be?) you now have a better understanding of “how” than 99 out of every 100 people you meet.

Be well!

Warmly,

Jack

P.S.

If this hit you in the gut, good. It’s supposed to. Not because I’m angry at you—but because I’m fighting for you. For your clarity. For your mental health and well-being. For your dignity. For the soul of this country that people like us swore to protect. Let’s live up to that oath. No matter how hard it gets.