, the 45th and 47th
president of the United States, has been widely credited for
realigning the Republican Party away from
conservatism and more toward
nationalism. During the presidency of
Barack Obama, the Republican Party experienced internal conflict between its governing class (known as the Republican establishment) and the anti-establishment, small-government
Tea Party movement. In 2019, during the presidency of
Donald Trump, Perry Bacon Jr. of FiveThirtyEight.com asserted that there were five groups of Republicans: Trumpists, Pro-Trumpers, Trump-Skeptical Conservatives, Trump-Skeptical Moderates, and Anti-Trumpers. In February 2021, following Trump's 2020 loss to Democrat
Joe Biden and the
2021 United States Capitol attack, Philip Bump of
The Washington Post posited that the Republican Party in the U.S. House of Representatives consisted of three factions: the Trumpists (who voted against the
second impeachment of Donald Trump in 2021, voted against stripping
Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments, and supported
efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election), the accountability caucus (who supported either the Trump impeachment, the effort to discipline Greene, or both), and the anti-Trump Republicans (who opposed the Trump impeachment and the effort to discipline Greene but also opposed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results). Also in February 2021, Carl Leubsdorf of the
Dallas Morning News asserted that there were three groups of Republicans: Never Trumpers (including
Bill Kristol, Sen.
Mitt Romney, and governors
Charlie Baker and
Larry Hogan), Sometimes Trumpers (including Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell and former U.N. Ambassador
Nikki Haley), and Always Trumpers (including Sens.
Ted Cruz and
Josh Hawley). In March 2021, one survey indicated that five factions of Republican voters had emerged following Trump's presidency: Never Trump, Post-Trump G.O.P. (voters who liked Trump but did not want him to run for president again), Trump Boosters (voters who approved of Trump, but identified more closely with the Republican Party than with Trump), Die-hard Trumpers, and
Infowars G.O.P. (voters who subscribe to conspiracy theories). In November 2021,
Pew Research Center identified four Republican-aligned groups of Americans: Faith and Flag Conservatives, Committed Conservatives, the Populist Right, and the Ambivalent Right. As of 2023, congressional Republicans refer to the various House Republican factions as the Five Families. Derived from
The Godfather, the term refers to Mafia crime families. In economic policy, conservatives call for a large reduction in
government spending, less regulation of the economy, and privatization or changes to
Social Security. Supporters of
supply-side economics and
fiscal conservatives predominate, but there are
deficit hawks and
protectionists within the party as well. Before 1930, the Northeastern industrialist faction of the GOP was strongly committed to
high tariffs, a political stance that returned to popularity in many conservative circles during the
Trump presidency. The conservative wing typically supports
socially conservative positions, such as supporting
gun rights and
restrictions on abortion, though there is a wide range of views on such issues within the party. Conservatives generally oppose
affirmative action, support increased military spending, and are opposed to
gun control. On the issue of
school vouchers, conservative Republicans split between supporters who believe that "
big government education" is a failure and opponents who fear greater government control over private and church schools. Parts of the conservative wing have been criticized for being
anti-environmentalist and promoting
climate change denial in opposition to the general
scientific consensus, making them unique even among other worldwide conservative parties. protectionism,
cultural conservatism, a more
realist foreign policy, skepticism of
neoconservatism, reduced efforts to roll back entitlement programs, and a disdain for traditional checks and balances.
Christian right , whose founding of the "
Moral Majority" was a key step in the formation of the
New Christian Right The Christian right is a
conservative Christian political faction characterized by strong support of
socially conservative and
Christian nationalist policies. Christian conservatives seek to use the teachings of
Christianity to influence law and public policy. In the United States, the Christian right is an informal coalition formed around a core of
evangelical Protestants and conservative
Roman Catholics, as well as a large number of
Latter-day Saints (Mormons). The movement has its roots in
American politics going back as far as the 1940s and has been especially influential since the 1970s. In the late 20th century, the Christian right became strongly connected to the
Republican Party. Republican politicians associated with the Christian right in the 21st century include Tennessee Senator
Marsha Blackburn, former Arkansas Governor
Mike Huckabee, and former Senator
Rick Santorum. Many within the Christian right have also identified as
social conservatives, which sociologist
Harry F. Dahms has described as Christian doctrinal conservatives (
anti-abortion,
anti-LGBT rights) and
gun-rights conservatives (pro-
NRA) as the two domains of ideology within social conservatism. Christian nationalists generally seek to declare the U.S. a Christian nation, enforce
Christian values, and overturn the
separation of church and state. This philosophy is most closely associated with
Frank Meyer.
Barry Goldwater also had a substantial impact on the conservative-libertarian movement of the 1960s. Libertarian conservatives in the 21st century favor cutting taxes and regulations, repealing the
Affordable Care Act, and protecting
gun rights. On social issues, they favor
privacy, oppose the
USA Patriot Act, and oppose the
war on drugs. The
Republican Liberty Caucus, which describes itself as "the oldest continuously operating organization in the Liberty Republican movement with state charters nationwide", was founded in 1991. The
House Liberty Caucus is a
congressional caucus formed by former Representative
Justin Amash, a former Republican of Michigan who joined the
Libertarian Party in 2020 before returning in 2024. Prominent libertarian conservatives within the Republican Party include New Hampshire Governor
Chris Sununu, Senators
Mike Lee and
Rand Paul, Representative
Thomas Massie, former Representative and Governor of South Carolina
Mark Sanford, and former Representative
Ron Paul (who was a Republican prior to 1987 and again from 1996 to 2015, and a Libertarian from 1987 to 1996 and since 2015). Ron Paul ran for president
once as a Libertarian and
twice more recently as a Republican. The libertarian conservative wing of the party had significant cross-over with the
Tea Party movement. During the
2024 United States elections, the Republican Party adopted pro-
cryptocurrency policies, which were originally advocated by the libertarian wing of the party. As the Republican presidential nominee,
Donald Trump addressed the
2024 Libertarian National Convention, pledging support for cryptocurrency, opposing
central bank digital currency and expressing support for the commutation of
Ross Ulbricht. Trump's 2024 campaign featured greater influence from
technolibertarian elements, particularly
Elon Musk, who was subsequently nominated to lead the
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 2024 Republican presidential candidate
Vivek Ramaswamy, who was chosen to lead DOGE alongside Musk, has called for a synthesis between nationalism and libertarianism within the Republican Party, while opposing
protectionist elements. Musk and Ramaswamy have clashed with elements within the right-wing populist faction over high-skilled
legal immigration to the United States.
Moderates was one of the highest-ranking
moderate Republicans in recent history, and left the party in January 2021 following the
January 6 United States Capitol attack. Moderate Republicans tend to be conservative-to-moderate on fiscal issues and moderate-to-liberal on social issues, and usually represent
swing states or
blue states. Moderate Republican voters are typically
highly educated, affluent, socially moderate or liberal and often part of the
Never Trump movement. Ideologically, such Republicans resemble the
conservative liberals of Europe. While they sometimes share the economic views of other Republicans (i.e.
lower taxes,
deregulation, and
welfare reform), moderate Republicans differ in that some support
affirmative action, In the 21st century, some former Republican moderates have switched to the Democratic Party. Prominent 21st century moderate Republicans include Senators
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and
Susan Collins of Maine and several current or former governors of northeastern states, such as
Charlie Baker of Massachusetts,
Larry Hogan of Maryland, and
Phil Scott of Vermont. Another moderate Republican is incumbent governor of Nevada
Joe Lombardo, who was previously the
Sheriff of Clark County. Moderate Republican Representatives include
Brian Fitzpatrick,
Mike Lawler, and
David Valadao. One of the most high-ranking moderate Republicans in recent history was
Colin Powell as Secretary of State in the first term of the
George W. Bush administration (Powell left the Republican Party in January 2021 following the
2021 storming of the United States Capitol, and had endorsed every Democrat for president in the general election since 2008). The
Republican Governance Group is a caucus of moderate Republicans within the House of Representatives. Prominent neoconservatives in the
Bush-Cheney administration included
John Bolton,
Paul Wolfowitz,
Elliott Abrams,
Richard Perle, and
Paul Bremer. During and after
Donald Trump's presidency, neoconservatism has declined and
non-interventionism and
right-wing populism has grown among elected federal Republican officeholders. However, after Trump took office, some neoconservatives joined his first administration, such as
John Bolton,
Mike Pompeo,
Elliott Abrams, and
Nadia Schadlow. Later, in his
second term, other neoconservatives integrated into the administration included
Mike Waltz,
John Ratcliffe, and
Marco Rubio. Neoconservatives' role remains key in foreign policy issues. The
Hudson Institute has been described as neoconservative, whose researchers and foreign policy experts have played a key role in
Republican administrations since the 2000s. Other organizations associated with this faction include the
American Enterprise Institute, the
Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the
Henry Jackson Society and the
Project for the New American Century.
Never Trump and
Mitt Romney, both former Republican presidential nominees, were two of the most prominent early voices within the Republican Party to publicly condemn Donald Trump and
his ideology. A divide has formed in the party between those who remain loyal to Donald Trump and those who oppose him. A recent survey concluded that the Republican Party was divided between pro-Trump (the "Trump Boosters," "Die-hard Trumpers," and "
Infowars G.O.P." wings) and anti-Trump factions (the "
Never Trump" and "Post-Trump G.O.P." wings). Several critics of the Trump faction have faced various forms of retaliation. Representative
Liz Cheney was removed from her position as Republican conference chair in the
House of Representatives, which was perceived as retaliation for her criticism of Trump; in 2022, she was defeated by a pro-Trump primary challenger. Representative
Adam Kinzinger decided to retire at the end of his term, while Murkowski faced a pro-Trump primary challenge in
2022 against
Kelly Tshibaka whom she defeated. A primary challenge to Romney had been suggested by
Jason Chaffetz, who has criticized his opponents within the Republican Party as "Trump haters". Romney chose not to run for re-election in
2024. Representative
Anthony Gonzalez, one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump over the
Capitol riot, called him "a cancer" while announcing his retirement. Former Governor of New Jersey
Chris Christie, who was
running against Trump in the
2024 Republican primaries, called him "a lonely, self-consumed, self-serving, mirror hog" in
his presidential announcement. Indiana senator
Todd Young is one of few elected Republican senators that
did not support Trump's 2024 campaign. Organizations associated with this faction include
The Lincoln Project,
Republican Accountability Project and
Republicans for the Rule of Law.
Trumpists , Donald Trump's
vice presidential pick for his
2024 campaign. Although initially critical of Trump, Vance became a staunch advocate of Trumpism later into Trump's first term and by 2021, was described as a
right-wing populist. Sometimes referred to as the
Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, Trumpism is a political movement closely associated with
Donald Trump and his base. It has been described as consisting of a range of right-wing ideologies including but not limited to
right-wing populism,
national conservatism,
neo-nationalism,
fascism,
neo-fascism, Trumpists have been described by some commentators, including Joseph Lowndes, James A. Gardner, and Guy-Uriel Charles, as the American political variant of the
far-right. Trumpists are the dominant faction in the Republican Party as of 2025. Rachel Kleinfeld, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, characterizes Trumpism as an authoritarian, antidemocratic movement which has successfully weaponized cultural issues, and that cultivates a narrative placing white people, Christians, and men at the top of a status hierarchy as its response to the so-called "
Great Replacement" theory, a claim that minorities, immigrants, and women, enabled by Democrats, Jews, and elites, are displacing white people, Christians, and men from their "rightful" positions in American society. In international relations, Trumpists support
U.S. aid to Israel but not to Ukraine, are generally supportive towards
Russia, yet claim to favor an
isolationist "
America First" foreign policy agenda. They generally reject compromise within the party and with
Democrats, and are willing to oust fellow Republican office holders they deem to be too moderate. Compared to other Republicans, the Trumpist faction is more likely to be immigration restrictionists, and to be against
free trade,
neoconservatism, and
environmental protection laws. The Republican Party's Trumpist and far-right movements emerged in occurrence with a global increase in such movements in the 2010s and 2020s, coupled with entrenchment and increased partisanship within the party since 2010, fueled by the rise of the
Tea Party movement which has also been described as far-right. The election of Trump in 2016 split the party into Trumpist and
Never Trump factions. When conservative columnist
George Will advised voters of all ideologies to vote for Democratic candidates in the Senate and House elections of November 2018, political writer Dan McLaughlin at the
National Review responded that doing so would make the Trumpist faction even more powerful within the Republican party. Anticipating Trump's defeat in the U.S. presidential election held on November 3, 2020,
Peter Feaver wrote in
Foreign Policy magazine: "With victory having been so close, the Trumpist faction in the party will be empowered and in no mood to compromise or reform." A poll conducted in February 2021 indicated that a plurality of Republicans (46% versus 27%) would leave the Republican Party to join a new party if Trump chose to create it. Nick Beauchamp, assistant professor of political science at
Northeastern University, says he sees the country as divided into four parties, with two factions representing each of the Democratic and Republican parties: "For the GOP, there's the Trump faction—which is the larger group—and the non-Trump faction". Lilliana Mason, associate professor of political science at
Johns Hopkins University, states that Donald Trump solidified the trend among
Southern white conservative Democrats since the 1960s of
leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republican Party: "Trump basically worked as a lightning rod to finalize that process of creating the Republican Party as a single entity for defending the high status of white, Christian, rural Americans. It's not a huge percentage of Americans that holds these beliefs, and it's not even the entire Republican Party; it's just about half of it. But the party itself is controlled by this intolerant, very strongly pro-Trump faction." Julia Azari, an associate professor of political science at
Marquette University, noted that not all Trumpist Republicans are public supporters of Donald Trump, and that some Republicans endorse Trump policies while distancing themselves from Trump as a person. In a speech he gave on November 2, 2022, at Washington's Union Station near the U.S. Capitol, President Biden asserted that "the pro-Trump faction" of the Republican Party is trying to undermine the U.S. electoral system and suppress voting rights. ==Political caucuses==