MAGA Movement Warned to Have Expiration Date

Columnist says 'Trumpism will not last' as Trump's desire to destroy or rebrand institutions will be undone after he's gone.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A New York Times columnist has warned that the MAGA movement and President Donald Trump's political legacy are unlikely to outlast him, as Trump's attempts to put his name on various institutions and monuments are seen as a 'cult of personality' that will fade. The columnist argues that while removing Trump's 'presidential graffiti' will be one of the easier tasks, rebuilding the damage he has done to government agencies, democratic norms, and the rule of law will be a long and daunting process.

Why it matters

The MAGA movement and Trumpism have had a significant impact on American politics, and this analysis suggests that this influence may be temporary and tied to Trump's own personality and time in office. As Trump leaves the political stage, there are questions about whether his brand of populism and nationalism will continue to shape the Republican Party and American conservatism.

The details

In her column, Michelle Cottle describes how Trump has been on a 'renaming crusade,' trying to put his name on various institutions and landmarks like the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and New York's Penn Station. Cottle argues that these efforts are 'aimed not at building a legacy so much as appropriating those of others' and that Trump 'seems to lack what it takes to create or even to inspire institutions or monuments built to endure.' She predicts that, like in other countries that have removed the names of 'discredited authoritarians from the public square,' Americans can expect to see Trump's name removed from various places once he is out of office.

  • The column was published on February 10, 2026.

The players

Michelle Cottle

A columnist for The New York Times who wrote the piece warning that the MAGA movement and Trumpism are unlikely to outlast Donald Trump.

Donald Trump

The former president whose attempts to put his name on various institutions and landmarks are described in the column as a 'cult of personality' that will fade after he leaves office.

Joe Biden

The current president, who the columnist says should focus on 'building back better' rather than quick fixes in the aftermath of Trump's presidency.

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What they’re saying

“Trumpism will not last forever. Elements might endure, but the MAGA movement is at heart a cult of personality unlikely to outlast its singular leader for very long in its existing form.”

— Michelle Cottle, Columnist (The New York Times)

“Removing presidential graffiti promises to be one of the easier repair jobs. Government agencies, policy programs, democratic norms, the rule of law — Mr. Trump is smearing his grubby fingerprints across so much more than a few edifices. The reconstruction will be long and daunting, especially if we take the opportunity to (with apologies to President Joe Biden) build back better.”

— Michelle Cottle, Columnist (The New York Times)

The takeaway

This analysis suggests that while the MAGA movement and Trumpism have had a significant impact, they are unlikely to outlast Donald Trump's time in office. The columnist argues that removing Trump's influence from various institutions and rebuilding the damage he has done to democratic norms will be a long and difficult process, but one that is necessary for the country to move forward.